In 1944, Leroy Henry, a 30-year-old African American soldier, was sentenced to death by a US military court for allegedly raping a British woman. The sentence sparked a massive public outcry in Britain, and within a week, a petition with over 33,000 signatures was submitted to the US government demanding clemency for Henry. The petition was successful, and Henry’s sentence was overturned. This story sheds light on the racial tensions between British and American servicemen during World War II, as well as the growing power of the British public in the lead-up to D-Day.