Hi ! Do you speak french ? I have lots of documentation I could advice you but it's in french. Maybe you could start by looking about the tirailleurs sénégalais. A Regiment of the french army coming from senegal (WWI and WWII) They were quite popular amongst the french, and are remembered fondly by all the old people I know, but it obvioudly didn't prevent racism (less food, less comfort for these soldiers), lingering in every colonial relationship. When Nazis captured a regiment of black men (or black and white men) conducted by a white officer It was not uncommon for the nazis to shoot or demand the shooting of the black men. I don't know how many of the officer's did what they were asked to but I do know that Leopold Senghor (you should look up his biography too) survived only because his officer refused to do it and argumented agains the nazis doing it. All of these datas or from french documentaries and books, just tell me if the reference might be of help. Just one last anecdote My great grand mother was from brittany, very close to where the D. Day took place. She was a working one day when a african american soldier appeared and looked around her house. She was very scared and I haven't been able to find out if he genuinely looked threatening (rape or stealing, these happen during the war) or if it was mere suprise because it was the first time she'd seen a black man. This anecdote is just to show you that, for a significant portion of the rural population, during the 1940's, people with dark skin were only theoretical.