75 years later, soldiers remember milestone highway

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska is commemorating 75 years since nearly 4,000 segregated black soldiers toiled in harsh weather and terrain to help build a highway across the state and Canada.

The soldiers worked on the 1,500-mile highway during World War II, a contribution largely ignored for decades.

It took the soldiers working from the north just over eight months to meet up with white soldiers coming from the south to connect the two segments on Oct. 25, 1942. The route set the foundation for the only land link to Alaska.

State lawmakers voted this year to set aside each Oct. 25 to honor the black soldiers who worked on the Alaska Highway. The

World War II veteran Leonard Larkins attends an event in Anchorage, Alaska, celebrating the 75th anniversary of construction of the Alaska Highway while an iconic photo is shown of a black and white soldier shaking hands when the two sides building the road met in 1942.

anniversary has gained attention this summer with multiple Alaska events.

Leonard Larkins of Louisiana was among the bl a c k so l d i e r s wh o helped build the route. Mark Thiessen / The Associated Press

The 96-year-old applauds lawmakers for finally recognizing their role.

Lawmakers note the soldiers’ work was a factor in the Army’s integration in 1948.