An Interview with Dr. Jeff Gusky on the Smithsonian’s “We Return Fighting” Exhibit and the American 93rd Division in WW1

Returning to the Battles of the First World War Podcast is Dr. Jeff Gusky, an emergency physician, artist, photographer for National Geographic, and explorer. I’m grateful that with the ongoing epidemic Dr. Gusky is able to come on the show and share his latest work with us, which is part of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture’s “We Return Fighting” exhibit. 

 

Dr. Gusky is the photographer and talent behind the fascinating Hidden World of WW1, an exploration of the many unknown underground cities inhabited by soldiers of both sides of the Western Front during the Great War. His photographs have been seen worldwide through National Geographic, Smithsonian museum exhibitions, and featured in several newspaper and television articles worldwide. His work truly is remarkable, and brings a world silent and in darkness for over a century back into the light. I urge you to follow his work if you haven’t already done so. 

 

In this interview we discuss Dr. Gusky’s contribution to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture’s “We Return Fighting” exhibit, as well as his discovery of the only remaining command post of the 370th Infantry under the old battlefields of France. The 370th Infantry Regiment was a segregated African-American unit during WW1; however it also had the distinction of being the only regiment also led by Black American officers. The men of the 370th were called the “Black Devils” by the Germans due to their fierceness in combat. 

 

Jeff’s discovery has been called “I Have a Dream...before I Have a Dream.”

 

In the course of the conversation I made an error in the first time Jeff Gusky came on the podcast; it wasn’t two years ago but three. Just goes to show you how the years pass by without you knowing it sometimes. 

 

Dr. Jeff Gusky’s work: https://jeffgusky.com/

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture’s “We Return Fighting:” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/we-return-fighting

The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. 

 

Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.