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Mr. Samuel Tucker

On December 18, Goshen High School students in Paul Bennis’ U. S. Military History Class were paid a visit by Samuel Tucker, an African-American Korean War combat veteran who returned from Korea to North Carolina in the early 1950s.

During his lecture, Tucker discussed his upbringing in North Carolina, his combat experience and how he worked to overcome obstacles created by racism. He told students that when he returned to North Carolina as a grown man and combat veteran, he was condescendingly addressed as “boy” because of the color of his skin. He resided alone in a dormitory because he was not allowed to live in the same building as white men. However, Tucker did not let these obstacles hinder his goals. He used his Army G. I. Bill to attend college and earn a Masters Degree.

In addition, Tucker stressed the importance of dignity, individual responsibility and determination to students. He spent thirty-seven years in education and retired as a guidance counselor; many of those years were spent at the Valley Central School District.

“The lecture’s objective was for students to understand the history and the human experience of a black veteran from the days before Brown v. the Board of Education and other civil rights legislation,” said History Teacher Paul Bennis. “Students asked a number of questions and students from a nearby study hall took advantage of their free time to join the audience of the lecture.”

Samuel Tucker is Commander of the Middletown American Legion, a member of the Korean War Veterans and is on Congressman Hall's committee for screening and selecting young men and women who wish to enter our nation’s military academies. Tucker spends much of his time supporting veterans and advocating for veteran support, both locally and nationally.