DEI leader and author Doug Melville joins us to discuss his book Invisible Generals: Rediscovering Family Legacy, and a Quest to Honor America’s First Black Generals, where he embarks on a journey from post-Civil War America to modern-day Europe and Asia, introducing readers to prominent yet hidden heroes, inspired by his own story.
Learn more about Doug Melville: https://dougmelville.com/
Get the book: https://bit.ly/3C5mI5A
In 2011, Doug was thrilled to be invited to an advanced screening of George Lucas’ “Red Tails,” a fresh take on America’s first Black aerial squadron, the Tuskegee Airmen. However, that excitement faded quickly when he realized the film had fictionalized the story to the point of omitting all of the names and details of the heroes – including Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the founding commander of the unit and the patriarch of his family – from the story entirely. Inspired, Doug began investigating passed-down histories of his family and realized that America’s first two Black Generals – Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and Benjamin Davis Sr. – were not only a father and son but had also raised his father. He then began unearthing stories of their incredible accomplishments, their perseverance and their trauma, and realized that even when living at the highest ranks of public service, they were treated and lived as if they were invisible because of their race. Doug’s book celebrates the everyday heroes behind the scenes, reminding us to utilize our ancestors’ victories to broaden our vision of what is possible.
Doug Melville, as a fifth-generation leader with a family that has worked under ten different presidential administrations, is a global head of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the luxury industry. He has given three TEDx Talks and has been featured in numerous periodicals, including Forbes, USA TODAY, The Washington Post , Time, and more. Invisible Generals is his first book.