FRANCE:

761st BATTALION

Enrichment Week 2026

Welcome to Enrichment Week 2026!

The 761st was the first all-Black tank battalion to see combat in World War II and one of the most effective tank units of the war, enduring 183 straight days in combat across France. Among the 761st was Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers. Killed in November 1944, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1997 for his heroism. In attendance at that White House ceremony was his great-niece, our President Azure'D Nunley.

Lead by Dr. Imperial and Ms. Azure'D Nunley, join the group as they follow the path of the 761st, starting at Omaha Beach in Normandy and ending in Bastogne, Belgium. Along the way the group will learn more French history and will visit some of France's most extraordinary places: Bayeux; the D-Day Beaches; Mont St. Michel; Paris's Cathedral of Notre Dame & the Louvre; Reims, birthplace of St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle; Verdun, where over 750,000 soldiers were killed and wounded in 1916; and Bastogne, where the Nazis threw all they had to repel the American advance in what is now known as the Battle of the Bulge.

Watch the video overview below to hear about the trip from Dr. Imperial and Ms. Nunley.

Photo Blogs

DAILY BLOG

We Just Landed!- March 7th

After gathering at SFO and embarking on a ten hour flight, we finally made it to France. Following baggage claim, we met up with our lovely tour guide and stepped out into overcast weather to begin our tour on wheels. About twenty minutes from Paris Charles de Gaulle was the city itself. As big concrete infrastructure turned into beautiful brick facades and gold topped fences, everyone’s jet lag began to fade and quickly became replaced with the awe of Paris. Our tour continued throughout the city while the guide explained historic sites like Notre Dame and the “most beautiful bridge in the world,” Pont Alexandre III. Just before concluding the bus tour, we had a five minute photo-op at the Eiffel Tower. A short lunch and a much longer bus rider later, we arrived in our first official stop; Bayeux. The long day of traveling led to many feelings of relief as we checked into our hotel room. That night, we joined together for a group dinner, and then headed off to bed to start our first official day of the trip tomorrow!

-Charli Davis '26