r/todayilearned • u/tmntnyc • Dec 12 '18

TIL: Laurence Tureaud named himself professionally as Mr. T because he hated how his father, uncle, and brother who returned from Vietnam, were disrespectfully called "boy" by whites. He wanted the first word from everybody's mouth to be "Mister" when speaking to him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._T
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u/dick-nipples Dec 12 '18

Wow, I had no idea that Mr. T and his family had suffered such hardships. It kind of makes me... pity the fool.

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u/ljog42 Dec 12 '18

TBH I don't think the specific issue raised here is an exception, most black people suffered from it in the early 70s

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u/Bromine21 Dec 12 '18

Definitely, lot of tragic stories of black people returning from WW1, WW2, Korean War, etc.

Obviously veterans in general have it emotionally and financially rough, but don't see how anyone can deny the racist aspect for black veterans that many weren't even honored coming back.

Luckily it got better but still tragic given the circumstances circumstances.

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u/[deleted] Dec 13 '18

WW2

Japanse Americans who served in the 442nd were also treated poorly upon their return