NELSON PEERY recently published his memoir, "Black Fire: The Making of an American Revolutionary (The New Press)," about coming of age against a background of racism, the Depression, and World War II. The book chronicles PEERY's travels west during the Depression, and his experiences as a soldier fighting in World War II. He writes about his simultaneous love for America and hatred for the people who discriminated against African Americans, especially in the army. The book details his vision of a worldwide revolution of people of color, his involvement in the Communist party, and his own personal revolutions against officers in his unit who were cruel to black soldiers. PEERY began his book when he was 24, but did not finish it until now, almost 25 years later. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES THROUGH THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW).
Copyright 1994 Fresh Air