The novel behind 'Miracle at Santa Anna'

by Euan Kerr, Minnesota Public Radio

This weekend Spike Lee's new film "Miracle at Santa Anna" opens nationwide. It tells the story of African-Americans fighting in Italy during World War II. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by James McBride.

St. Paul, Minn. — When the novel came out in 2002 McBride visited the Minnesota Public Radio studios to talk about his book.

He was inspired by stories his uncle had told him of fighting with the 92nd Division, which was made up of African Americans. His uncle told him of how the Italians had treated the soldiers like kings when they liberated towns and villages.

It was a very different reception from the one they got back home under segregation.

McBride spent a lot of time in Italy researching "Miracle at Santa Anna."

He found that even 50 years after the war, it was hard to get Italians to talk about what had happened, because people were still divided by the actions of their grandparents.

McBride told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr the story he wanted to relate was about human connection.