Jennifer Keene

Fighting for Respect captures the plight of African American soldiers who fought in WWI, receiving the Croix de Guerre military decoration from France, while still fighting discrimination and hatred at home in America.

Relying on newly discovered archival footage, memoirs from the fallen, and expert commentary from scholars, this documentary tells the story of World War I from the American perspective: Its ace pilots, mine-laying Sailors, heroic doughboys, Harlem Hell Fighters, and courageous nurses.

The life of WWI U.S. Navy Pharmacist Mate and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, John Henry Balch, with a focus on his assignment to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, during the infamous Battle of Belleau Wood.