Breath of Freedom (2014)

In the Second World War over a million African-American GIs fought for freedom and democracy - in an army, that was strictly segregated by race. They liberate Germany from Nazi rule, as racism reached unfathomable levels within their own country. Featuring interviews with former Secretary of State General Colin Powell and Congressman John Lewis, the documentary explores a largely unknown chapter in German-American History told through the powerful recollections of veterans. From the beginning, black soldiers felt the absurdity of being asked to fight for freedom while being denied it in their own army. In Germany these soldiers experienced for the first time what it felt like to be treated as equals. This experience changed their lives completely. Narrated by Academy-Award winner Cuba Gooding, Jr., BREATH OF FREEDOM tells the remarkable story of how World War II and its aftermath played a huge role in the US Civil Rights Movement.