In spite of serving honorably in WWII, Nelson Henry Jr. was among the thousands who were forced out of the army for being black. He was given a “blue discharge” which was the type often given to black, gay or lesbian soldiers.
After more than 70 years, Henry had stopped trying to appeal until lawyers with the Golden Gate University School of Law Veterans Legal Advocacy Clinic and Legal Aid at Work agreed to assist him. They filed an appeal and the Army agreed to expedite the process because Henry was 95 years old.
Henry credits his wife, Lydia, for helping him move past the bitterness he felt from the injustice caused by the Army. She died in 2016.
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