Gigi-- Nothing that you stated explains why ONLY they are recognized, and it certainly doesn't account for why the ADN supports their notoriety at the expense of everyone else.  Because of what is clearly a reverse-racial appropriation-- now no one knows who worked on the Alaska Highway EXCEPT for them.  Does the average Alaskan know who developed our highway in addition to them?  Don't you think they'd like to know?  What "extra hardships" were placed on black soldiers?  I don't know what working in that environment in the 1940's would be like, but I am certainly willing to bet it was full of "hardship" no matter WHO you were.
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"World to End Tomorrow- Women and Minorities Impacted the Most."
- Farcical New York Times Headline