Photo, left: Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie (also known as Alexandre Dumas (25 March 1762 – 26 February 1806) was a general in Revolutionary France and the highest-ranking person of color of all time in a European army.  He was the first person of color in the French military to become brigadier general, the first to become divisional general, and the first to become general-in-chief of a French army. Dumas shared the status of the highest-ranking black officer in the Western world only with Toussaint Louverture (who in May 1797 became the second black general-in-chief in the French military) until 1975, when the American Daniel "Chappie" James Jr became a four star General in the United States Air Force, the closest American equivalent of Général d'Armée, Dumas' highest rank.
JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW
Hour One
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 1, Block A: The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House, by Chuck Todd  (1 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 1, Block B: The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House, by Chuck Todd  (2 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 1, Block C: The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House, by Chuck Todd  (3 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 1, Block D: The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House, by Chuck Todd  (4 of 4)
Hour Two
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 2, Block A: The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe, by Stephen Harding (1 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 2, Block B: The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe, by Stephen Harding (2 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 2, Block C: The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe, by Stephen Harding (3 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 2, Block D: The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe, by Stephen Harding (4 of 4)
Hour Three
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 3, Block A: 500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars, by Kurt Eichenwald (1 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 3, Block B: 500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars, by Kurt Eichenwald (2 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 3, Block C: 500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars, by Kurt Eichenwald (3 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 3, Block D: 500 Days: Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars, by Kurt Eichenwald (4 of 4)
Hour Four
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 4, Block A: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss  (1 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 4, Block B: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss  (2 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 4, Block C: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss  (3 of 4)
Sunday 25 January 2015 / Hour 4, Block D: The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss  (4 of 4)