A striking, large-scale photo captures U.S. Marines saluting in perfect formation, their crisp dress uniforms instantly recognizable. However, when this photo was taken in the 1940s, it likely raised eyebrows as it shows one of the first images of Black Marines. This was a time when the Marine Corps had only just begun to form divisions for Black men during World War II.
The photo is part of Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II, a special exhibition that opens on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) at The National WWII Museum in New Orleans. The exhibit highlights the contributions of over 1.2 million African Americans who served in World War II, including thousands of drivers and logistical support workers, the 6,500-member all-Black Women’s Army Corps Unit, and the famous Tuskegee Airmen. Black Americans volunteered in unprecedented numbers to serve in all branches of the military, while at home, over 1 million worked in the U.S. industrial sector, supporting the war effort globally, said Pete Crean, the museum’s vice president of education and access and an Army veteran.
“A lot of the history of African Americans in World War II is hidden, unknown or missing,” said Crean. With the exhibit’s collection of historic photos, films, artifacts, and wartime Black press clippings, it shines a light on their often-overlooked story. Among the items on display are military gear, medical instruments, and even a worn wooden ballot box that symbolizes the challenges Black Americans faced regarding their voting rights during this period.
