United States--Armed Forces--African Americans--History--20th century

Content Description

This collection contains letters, documents, poetry, and photographs related to the military service of Jason M. Austin who served with the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II in the Pacific Campaign and the Korean War. The collection includes documentation regarding the overseas service of Austin with the African American Marines who were part of the First and Fourth Marine Depot based in the Russell Islands.

Scope and Contents This World War II collection relates to Gertrude Margaritte Ivory Bertram, an African American nurse who served in the U.S. Army. The collection consists of letters, photographs (depicting herself and her fellow nurses in uniform, as well as African American G.I.s, and a few photographs from her time in West Africa), personal items, books, manuscripts, newspaper clippings, and interviews. The materials mainly document Bertram's time at Fort Bragg, NC, but there is some information concerning her life before enlistment, travels during enlistment, and life after enlistment. Most of her enlistment was spent in West Africa and at Fort Bragg, NC. This collection is important, as it covers the...

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of an oral history interview transcript of an African American private in the 84th Aviation Squadron during World War II in the European Campaign as he details tensions between black soldiers and white officers.

Scope and Contents

This oral history interview transcript relates to Eddie Barrington who served with C Company in the 823rd Air Aviation Engineers. Barrington was assigned to work on the Ledo Road under General Joseph Stilwell in December 1942 in the China Burma India campaign. The collection includes a transcript of an interview, recorded May 20, 2004 and audio recording. The recording includes portions of the interview that are not transcribed.

Scope and Contents

These papers relate to Clarence J. Inniss, an African American corporal who served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the European Theater. The collection consists of an oral history interview transcript, a map, discharge papers, and photographs.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of an oral history interview transcript of Leroy Reece who served as a Private First Class in the United States Army during World War II in the all-black unit, Company B, 317th Engineer Battalion which served in the European Theater.

Scope and Contents

This collection relates to Willie Mae Williams, an African American woman, who served in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. The collection includes an oral history interview, photographs, newspaper clippings, a cassette tape of the oral history, a woman's veterans hat, a Women's Army Corps souvenir tray, a Women's Army Corps tag, and a yearbook for the 1881st Service Command unit. In her oral history interview, she discusses basic training for women and the WAC's unpreparedness for the women. She worked in the hospital and talks about life as a female on base and in traveling off base to visit civilians; talk about female pregnancy in the WAC.