Portrait of Sergeant Leon Bass during World War II. As an 18-year-old, he volunteered to join the US Army in 1943. Leon and other members of the all African-American 183rd unit witnessed Buchenwald several days after liberation. After the war, he became a teacher and was active in the civil rights movement.
We would like to thank Crown Family Philanthropies, Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation, the Claims Conference, EVZ, and BMF for supporting the ongoing work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. View the list of donor acknowledgement.