When the United States entered World War II, young African Americans across the country faced a dilemma. While they wanted to fight for their country, should they risk their lives fighting for freedoms in other nations that they did not have at home?

A young man proposed a solution to a popular Black-owned newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier: Fight two wars at once! – against the enemy abroad and against racism at home -for a double victory – a Double V.

This subject was suggested to Lea by Betty Reid Soskin, a revered female Black National Park Ranger (who retired at age 100,) as a book she would like to see about the World War II era.