Found 4 collections related to African American sailors

James Reese Europe, Jr., son of the well-known African-American musician James Reese Europe (1881-1919) and dancer Bessie Simms, was a seaman in the Merchant Marines during World War II. In 1942 the Marine Firemen's, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association attempted to have Europe discharged in direct violation of Presidential Order 8802 of the Fair Employment Act. With the support of the War Manpower Commission and many on board the ship, Europe was permitted to continue in his position. Over time he moved up from wiper (entry-level position) to deck engineer, and with his captain's recommendation he attended officer's candidate school and returned to sea as an ensign in the U.S. Maritime Service. By the time of his discharge in 1946, Europe had been promoted to lieutenant and had received recognition for his work in the Middle East, Pacific and Atlantic war zones. The James Reese Europe, Jr. Papers consists primarily of photocopies of documents related to a case of discrimination during World War II in direct violation of Executive Order 8802, involving James Reese Europe, Jr. and the Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association in San Francisco (1942). Several documents provide the details of the case from the perspective of the Bay Area Council Against Discrimination, which assisted Europe in presenting his case to the Committee on Fair Employment Practices and to the War Manpower Commission. The union's viewpoint is also represented. Included are originals and copies of certificates, awards, and discharge papers, in addition to letters and documents dealing with his termination from the New York City Police Department on charges of alleged subversive activities related to the aforementioned discrimination case. less

An African American career soldier, Jesse J. Johnson authored eight books and several plays about the military service of black men and women. The Jesse J. Johnson military collection consists primarily of secondary sources and printed material, along with typescripts of his plays and one of his books. less

Desso B. Bryant, Jr., was an African American sailor who served aboard the USS Arkansas. The scrapbook contains a daily log, dating from 1936-1940, in which Bryant recorded his personal experiences, ranging from facing racism and seasickness to enjoying the company of local women during his shore leaves in California, Hawaii, England, and Germany. The log does not contain information regarding his official responsibilities on the ship, the events building up to WWII, or the outbreak of war in Europe. It is accompanied by black and white snapshots of himself and his shipmates while in different ports. Included in the scrapbook is a letter regarding his dues with the Bronzeville Lodge No. 18, 1958, and a diagram of a map (possibly denoting the areas traveled to by Bryant during his naval duty). less

The Thomas family--Clara and Henry Thomas and their children Alice, Leroy, Mabel, Marguerite, Percival, and Rosa--was a Black family who lived in Western New York then Washington, DC in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Thomas family papers consists of correspondence and ephemera, mostly belonging to Rosa Thomas. less