In Hidden Heroism, Robert B. Edgerton chronicles the history of African-American participation in American wars, from the French and Indian War to the present. He argues that blacks in America have long endured a "natural coward" stereotype that stemmed from racial prejudice and intensified as blacks gradually received freedom in American society. It was common for black soldiers who served admirably in combat to return home to little recognition of their achievements and deeply entrenched racism from whites who perceived them as a threat. Although this situation was somewhat rectified by the time of the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War, the stereotypes have not been fully eradicated. This book provides an accessible and well-informed study of this little-known but significant aspect of race relations in American military history. - Publisher.