Today, the numbers of Black women in the armed forces are steadily on the rise, and the work of past veteran pioneers is regularly celebrated. However, that wasn’t always the case
The Naval Brief: Nuclear threats; Deployment funding; China's naval modernization; and more... defenseone.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from defenseone.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Alright, everyone, today I am going to take you on a shallow dive into a topic that s tough for a lot of people to talk about for many different reasons: racial segregation. Specifically, the history of racial segregation in the Navy through World War II. It is never fun, but it is a very important part of our history, and something that we need to examine no matter how uncomfortable it can make us feel.
Subscriber-Only Content Subscribe to
Naval History magazine to gain access to this article and a host of other fascinating articles and stories that keep our maritime history and heritage alive.
Celebrating African American Military Milestones
/
Gabrielle “Gabby” Womack
Alongside churches and schools, the military is one of the oldest and most important institutions in the U.S. The U.S. Armed Forces include the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. Even though an army has existed since the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775, the official U.S. military was not formed until the U.S. Congress had its first session on September 29, 1789.
African Americans have served in every war on American soil and abroad since the French and Indian War, also known as the Seven Years War. However, they served predominantly in segregated units. When allowed admission, African Americans faced harsh mistreatment in the military academies, received demeaning military assignments (often relegated to the galley and not to combat), and were denied promotions and the opportunity to serve as leaders.