US Removal of Panels Honoring Black Soldiers at WWII Cemetery Draws Backlash

By Rob Redding

Editor & Publisher

NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2025, 1 p.m. — This spring, the American Battle Monuments Commission made the decision to remove two displays recognizing Black liberators from the Margraten visitors center at the Netherlands American Cemetery. The cemetery is the final resting place for roughly 8,300 U.S. soldiers.

The removed panels included stories like that of George H. Pruitt and a depiction of segregation. The Commission stated that these panels "did not fall within [their] commemorative mission." In their place, a new display now features Leslie Loveland.

However, the removals have sparked significant criticism both locally and internationally. Media reports from JTA and Dutch News revealed FOIA emails linking the decision to the Trump administration’s rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. This included executive orders ending DEI programs and Trump's March remark, "Our country will be woke no longer."

Rob Redding is the author of the forthcoming book Black Power in the Age of Artificial Supremacy Featuring Redding-Shim Kwet Yung out on Jan. 5, 2026. He is the bestselling author of 17 books. He is the host of Redding News Review Unrestricted and creator of ReddingNewsReview.com. He is also an emerging visual artist who lives and teaches at two colleges in New York City.