Stories That Shaped America: Wil Haygood Live
Feb. 28, 2026!
The National Veterans Memorial and Museum will host acclaimed journalist and author Wil Haygood as part of the Columbus launch of his new book, The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and At Home. This powerful work sheds new light on the experiences of Black service members who fought for their country abroad and for equality at home.
Wil Haygood Book Launch Event
Preorder the Book from The Book Loft Below or Purchase a Copy at the Event:
If you plan to have your book signed at the event, it is recommended that you purchase your book from The Book Loft at the NVMM on Feb. 28.
Early reviews praise The War Within a War for its depth, honesty, and power.
“A searing history of the Black
experience in Vietnam.”
– Kirkus Reviews
“A compelling book, the deep, moving story of how men and women of color experienced the war in Vietnam. With this book, Wil Haygood has become the preeminent chronicler of the Black experience in America.”
– Richard Rhodes, Pulitzer Prize winner for “The Making of the Atomic Bomb”
“This is history written with heart, precision, and unflinching honesty. In these masterful pages, Haygood reframes both the Vietnam War and the United States’ unfinished struggle for equality.”
Mitchell Zuckoff, New York Times bestselling author of “13 Hours” and “Lost in Shangri-La”
About the Author
Wil Haygood is an American journalist and author who has written ten nonfiction books. His chronicle of White House butler Eugene Allen was adapted into the film, THE BUTLER, which starred Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker and was directed by Lee Daniels. Haygood – who traveled into several war zones as a journalist – is a John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, as well as a professor at Miami University (Ohio). Among his many honors are the Scribes Book Award, the Deems-Taylor Book Award, the Ella Baker Award – named after the Mississippi civil rights activist – and the Freedom Summer of 1964 Award.
