Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. -- For centuries, African-American contributions to society went completely unnoticed, until Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard-educated, African-American man began celebrating “Negro History Week” in February 1925.
The response to it was so overwhelming that in 1976, the celebration expanded to the entire month according to the Law Library of Congress.
During this time, the viability of including African-Americans in the Marine Corps was a hotly debated topic.
The Marine Corps, established by the second Continental Congress Nov. 10, 1775, did not allow African-American men to join its ranks until June 1, 1942. According to the Women Marines Association, African-American women didn’t enlist until after the Marine Corps desegregated its recruit training battalions in 1949.
All African-American men who enlisted in the Marine Corps between 1942 and 1949 completed recruit training in Montford Point, North Carolina, which was a segregated training facility for African-American men. By September 1949, more than 20,000 African-American men enlisted and completed training at Montford Point according to the Randall Library at the University of North Carolina.
Al Banker, one of the first African-Americans to train at Montford Point, said he joined the Marine Corps because he felt it was the proper thing to do.
“You must remember that there were no … African-American troops in the Marine Corps at all at that time,” said Banker. “And we were the first ones to enter that training program. I felt that I wanted to be a part of it. That's the reason I decided to volunteer for the Marine Corps.”
After 1949, the Marine Corps integrated recruit training units and trained African Americans alongside white recruits in its recruit depots in San Diego and Parris Island, South Carolina.
Even after integration, African-American Marines struggled to be included in military occupational specialties, said Master Sgt. Calvin Simmons, communications chief with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, and a Moncks Corner, South Carolina native.
“I know for a fact that there, during wartime, were struggles with black Marines trying to go to the fight,” said Simmons. “African-Americans were not getting promoted as much because of the belief in their inability to swim and actually shoot.”
However, as soon as African-Americans had the opportunity to prove themselves, they demonstrated they were as capable as other Marines regardless of race, color, creed or national origin, according to the Montford Point Marines Association.
Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen became the first African-American Marine aviator in 1953 and served during the Korean and Vietnam wars. He commanded several squadrons and went on to become the Marine Corps’ first African-American lieutenant general.
Sgt. Maj. Gilbert “Hashmark” Johnson is known for serving 32 years of active-duty service in the armed forces. He served 15 years between the Army and Navy before enlisting in the Marine Corps, where he served another 17 years of active duty.
Capt. Vernice Armour became the first African-American female aviator in the Marine Corps in 2001. She served with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 169, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and completed two combat tours.
These accomplishments and many more were cemented by the evolution of the military’s equal opportunity program, which discouraged discrimination based on race and gender.
According to “The Long War: A New History of U.S. National Security Policy Since World War II,” two factors greatly enabled the progress of equal opportunity: the growing liberal sentiment in favor of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement; and the creation of an all-volunteer military.
According to Simmons, the Equal Opportunity Program has helped to address discrimination African-American men and women have faced.
“Equal opportunity was really on the forefront of many issues … when I first came in,” said Simmons. “I would say things are a lot more accepting. I would also say, with how the Marine Corps is in regards to watching what you say and how you treat people, it’s a lot more stringent now than when I first came in. There’s a lot more respect for the different ethnic groups [and] nationalities.”
The 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos said discrimination and harassment reduced the effectiveness of the Marine Corps in his policy statement on equal opportunity.
“Discrimination and harassment, in any form, are violations of who we are and what we stand for as a Corps,” said Amos. “Ultimately, they damage our ability to accomplish the mission by reducing effectiveness, eroding trust and degrading readiness.”
According to Sgt. Cornelius Greer, a military working dog handler with the Provost Marshal’s Office at MCAS Miramar and a Dallas native, unit cohesion and teamwork were fundamental to his training in the Marine Corps.
“Since the beginning at boot camp, we were all told that we’re all green,” said Greer. “Either you’re dark green or light green but we’re all green Marines. The Marine Corps definitely embodies operating as one whole unit.”
Over the past 74 years, the Marine Corps has progressed from being an all-white body of men and women to including African-American men and women, as well as other people of color.
“I have met many people of color that were ‘first’ in the Marine Corps,” said Simmons. “I am proud to say equal opportunity flourished during my career and has provided me the optimism to accomplish anything I set my heart to. Some people would say it’s been challenging, but I’ve been able to grow myself from being someone that had little belief in himself, to someone that can do anything.”