Honoring Our Veterans: A Message from USBC President Commemorating Veteran’s Day

[WASHINGTON, DC ] November 11, 2025 — Today, on Veteran’s Day, we pause to honor and pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our nation — to those currently on active duty, to the veterans who came home, and to the courageous souls who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. At the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. (USBC), we recognize the magnitude of the debt we owe to these Americans, for their service secured and sustains our rights and liberties.

We also acknowledge that for Black Americans and other marginalized communities, our story in the service of this nation is doubly meaningful: we fought not only an external battle abroad, but a struggle for recognition, for full citizenship, and for dignity at home. Black Americans served in every major conflict, often while the freedoms they defended were denied to them. Their service demands our remembrance, our respect, and our advocacy.

Unfortunately, even as we honor our veterans, we witness troubling efforts to erase or diminish the history of those who served from communities of color. As reported by PBS NewsHour, the U.S. Department of Defense removed “thousands of pages and images honoring the contributions of women and people of color.” In so doing, the question arises: Which stories are told and which are ignored?

In the face of such erasure, USBC reaffirms: We honor all veterans — especially those whose stories have been marginalized or dismissed. We commit to ensure that the contributions of Black service-members and other historically under-recognized groups are neither forgotten nor overwritten. From the segregated units of the 92nd Infantry Division to the pioneering Black officers of today, our narrative is intertwined with the evolution of this nation’s freedom.

This Veteran’s Day:

• We salute our active duty service-members, standing watch today so we might live freely tomorrow.
• We remember those who never returned — their sacrifice is the bedrock of our liberties.
• We honor veterans of every background — and especially those whose service advanced both the defense of our country and the struggle for justice and equality.
• We reaffirm our resolve: as we close one chapter and open the next, the history of Black Americans in uniform must be preserved, taught, and honored.

Please note: USBC offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, in recognition of Veteran’s Day, and will re-open on Wednesday, November 12.

I invite us all to reflect on the service of veterans from all walks of life, and to recommit themselves to securing a future worthy of the sacrifice so many have made. Become a member and invest in the future of Black businesses today at www.usblackchambers.org.

Ron Busby, Sr.

President & CEO, U.S. Black Chambers, Inc.