African Americans in WWIITags

african american troops, WWII

WHY IS THIS RELEVANT NOW?

Spike Lee’s movie, Miracle of St. Anne was about African American

soldiers in World War II. It is a subject close to my heart as I

remember my grandmother’s brothers who served in the war. A few of

my favorite family oral histories swirl around their participation.

SCOPE NOTE

Over one million African-Americans served in World War II. They

served in segregated units. The branches of the military that blacks

served in were the Marines and the Army. They were treated very

badly during their service years and ill treated even when they

returned.

PUBLISHED MATERIAL(S)

African Americans in the Military by Catherine Reef

We Were There : Voices of African American Veterans, from World War

II to the War in Ira

Yvonne Latty, Ron Tarver

REFERENCE MATERIAL(S)

African American Almanac. 9th ed

Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage, Second Edition

Encyclopedia of American Military History

World Almanac & Book of Facts

RELEVANT WEBSITES

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/aframerwar/index.html

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohb.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/af-amer/afa-wwii.htm

http://www.africanamericans.com/MilitaryChronology4.htm

http://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/ww2-pictures/

MULTIMEDIA

Pictures of American Americans during WWII

DOCUMENTARY

African Americans in WWII (OnDeck Home Entertainment)

The Tuskegee Airmen (HBO Video)

POSSIBLE KEYWORD SEARCHES

african american + world war II

african americans + soldiers

american americans + military

RELATED POSTS

Blacks WACs Women Army Corps

Black AviatorsTags

african american troops, soldier, WWII

WHY IS THIS RELEVANT NOW?

I’m so pleased that 119 pilots and 211 ground crew of Tuskegee

Airmen are invited to the swearing in of the 44th President of the

United States. Barack Obama alluded to the men in his book, Audacity

of Hope. Because the men are in there 80s and 90s many of them will

probably not be in attendance.

SCOPE NOTE

Black Aviators impacted the history of aviation in this country during

World War II. In fact, it was during this tour the all-black force worked

hard to garner accolades. Helping them make history by demonstrated

their genuine competence was wife of the president, Eleanor

Roosevelt. Opposition to their contribution was significant. It was in

the 1970s that they were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

PUBLISHED MATERIAL(S)

Black Aviator: The Story of William J. Powell by William J. Powell, Von

Hardesty

Black Flight: Breaking Barriers to Blacks in Aviation by Roger Albert

Forsyth

Flying free : America’s first Black aviators by Philip S. Hart

Into the Tiger’s Jaw: America’s First Black Marine Aviator: The

Autobiography of LT. General Frank E. Petersen by Frank E. Petersen, J.

Alfred Phelps

The Tuskegee Airmen by Philip Brooks.

The Tuskegee Airmen : African-American Pilots Of World War II by

Sarah E. DeCapua

JOURNAL(S)

All blood runs red. (black aviator Gene Bullard) (Legacy: A Supplement

to American Heritage) Jamie H. Cockfield American Heritage, Feb-

March 1995 v46 n1 pS7(6)

Chief Anderson; when the skies were unfriendly, this pioneer aviator

opened the blue yonder to blacks. (Charles Alfred Anderson) Pope

Brock. People Weekly, Nov 28, 1988 v30 n22 p149(5)

REFERENCE

African American Almanac. 9th ed.

Encyclopedia of African-American Heritage, Second Edition. (Tuskegee

Airmen)

DOCUMENTARIES

Black aviators: flying free / producer, Andrew Rothstein ; produced by

CBS News Productions for the History Channel

Flyers in search of a dream by Philip Hart; WGBH Educational

Foundation.

POSSIBLE KEYWORD SEARCH(ES)

black aviators

blacks + aviation

african american + air pilots

tuskegee airmen

RELEVANT WEBSITE(S)

http://www.nasm.si.edu/blackwings/

http://www.blackwings.com/

ORGANIZATION

Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

PO Box 9166

Arlington, VA 22219-1166

(703) 286-7653

RELATED POST(S)

African American in WWII, Black WACs

Golden irteenTags

african american troops

WHY IS THIS RELEVANT NOW?

The increasing discussion of why military recruitment of blacks is down

is taking place all over. The discussion stems from the USA Today

report back in 2005. If one considers the ill treatment of blacks in the

military from Cripus Attucks until now, it’s no real surprise. WWI and

WWII veterans including Tuskegee Airmen fought for a country in

foreign lands in which their foreign captors treated them better. Shall

we talk about Port Chicago. I even remember as a kid black Vietnam

veterans seething over discrimination. In spite of those mountainous

battles, African Americans have still achieved. I bring to your attention

the Golden Thirteen.

SCOPE NOTE

Men who deeply desired to demonstrate excellence in naval services

were relegated to lowly duties until bowing to the pressure from civil

rights organizations, Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt affected the course of

sixteen men who were chosen for general duty. Having the opportunity

to be groomed for ledership, the secretary of the navy moved on the

idea to train 12 black officers and a one warrant officer. The men who

passed the rigorous training dubbed themselves the Golden Thirteen

became the first officers in the US Navy history.

PUBLISHED MATERIAL(S)

The Golden Thirteen: recollections of the first Black naval officers/

edited by Paul Stillwell

Integration of the Negro into the United States Navy, 1776-1947

REFERENCE

African American Almanac

POSSIBLE KEYWORD SEARCH(ES)

Golden Thirteen

blacks + US Navy African-Americans + Steward’s Service

african american + sea-going bell hops

african americans + sea services

MULTIMEDIA

African-Americans and the U.S. Navy — The “Golden Thirteen”

RELEVANT WEBSITE(S)

http://toptags.com/aama/bio/groups/gthirteen.htm

KEY FIGURE(S)

William Sylvester White

Black WACs (Women Army Corps)Tags

african american troops, WWII

SCOPE NOTE

Although segregated in their military accomodations and limited

advancement in ranks, a few thousand black women joined black male

counterparts to serve their country and made history in their efforts.

Many black WACs served in Europe, Cuba and Northern Africa.

PUBLISHED MATERIAL(S)

One Woman’s Army by Charity Adams Earley

To Serve My Country, To serve My Race by Brenda L. Moore

When the Nation was in Need: Blacks in the Women’s Army Corps

During World War II by Martha S. Putney

REFERENCE MATERIAL(S)

African American Almanac, 9th ed

RELEVANT WEBSITES

http://www.coax.net/people/lwf/AMC_WW2.HTM

http://www.buffalo.edu/reporter/vol27n17/n2.html

http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/heroes/bowie.html

http://www.usca.edu/aasc/earley.htm

http://www.womensmemorial.org/Education/BBH1998.html#4

POSSIBLE KEYWORD SEARCHES

african americans + women army corps

african americans + women auxiliary army corps 6888th postal

battalion

black women + world war II, 1939-1945

KEY FIGURES

Charity Adams Earley

Sherian G. Cadoria

Dovey Mae Roundtree

ORGANIZATION(S)

US Army Women’s Museum

2100 “A” Avenue

Fort Lee, VA 23801

804-734-4327

RELATED POSTS

African Americans in WWII