African American Experience During World War II

🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: Honoring the Service of Tuskegee Airmen Jerome and John “Ellis” Edwards of Ohio

Today we honor Jerome and John “Ellis” Edwards, of Steubenville Ohio, who both served as pilots with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. After graduating from Steubenville High School Jerome would go on to further his education at West Virginia State College. John would follow in his older brother's footsteps as both young men would enroll in the college's Civilian Pilot Training Program.

According to the CAF Rise Above website "When Jerome graduated in 1940, he went off to Tuskegee where he successfully completed all phases of advanced training. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in September of 1942 and assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron, part of the 332nd Fighter Group. He flew both the P-40 and P-51 aircraft, assigned to the Army Air Force Base at Oscoda, Michigan, for advanced aerial combat training."

"Second Lieutenant Jerome Edwards lost his life on May 7, 1943 when an engine malfunction caused his P-40 to crash shortly after takeoff in Oscoda County Michigan. He was 24 years old at the time of his passing."

John was offered an honorable hardship discharge after his brother’s death, but refused, instead choosing to finish his service and dedicating his military career to his brother’s memory.

Second Lieutenant John Edwards saw combat in Europe during World War II and was honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross. He would return to the Air Force during the Korean War, serving in the 332nd Fighter Group with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. John lived in Washington, D.C., after the war, and later moved to Los Angeles, California where he passed away on June 3, 1979 at the age of 57 years old.

Both Edward's brothers lie and rest at Union Cemetery in Steubenville Ohio. In 2019 a mural was dedicated in their honor. The mural depicts the Edwards brothers striding across the air strip in Italy, preparing to go into battle. The artist, Claude Ruston “Rusty” Baker worked eight planes into the design, including a P-51 and a B-17 heavy bomber. He worked a B-24 into the design at the last minute because a historian reading the squadron logs realized that’s what Edwards’ unit was escorting on that mission." - Steubenville Herald-Star September 15, 2019.

Please join us in honoring the sacrifice of the Edwards family and their service during World War II. Lest We Forget.




WWII uncovered ©️ description and photos sourced by The Steubenville Public Library, CAF Rise Above website and Steubenville High School Multimedia "Freedom Flyers: The story of Jerome and John “Ellis” Edwards Steubenville's Tuskegee Airmen - 2021. (Fair Use Photos)

📸 In recognition of Jackie Robinson Day, here is World War II Jackie Robinson. 🪖 ⚾

Robinson was a strong civil rights figure not only on the baseball diamond, but also in the military. On April 3, 1942, Robinson was drafted into the Army and assigned to a segregated unit at Fort Riley, Kansas. After his application for Officer Candidate School was denied and told off the record that Blacks were not leadership material. He appealed the decision and was accepted, eventually being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant.

In July 1944, while sitting in the middle of the bus, the driver told him to move to the back despite military buses already being desegregated. Robinson refused to move. He was court martialed and acquitted of the charges. In his autobiography, he said of the trial, “My lawyer summed up the case beautifully by telling the board that this was not a case involving any violation of the Articles of War, or even of military tradition, but simply a situation in which a few individuals sought to vent their bigotry on a Negro they considered ‘uppity’ because he had the audacity to exercise rights that belonged to him as an American and a Soldier.”

Limited job opportunities for African American women in the 1940s led Vivian Bailey to follow in her cousin's footsteps and pursue a commission in the Women's Army Corps (WAC). However, serving as a WAC during World War II meant that her service, just as in life, was constantly shaped by what she referred to as "the cost of segregation." Throughout her time as a WAC, where she eventually achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant, she served in multiple administrative roles at Ft. McClellan, Ft. Benning, and Ft. Bragg. In this photo, Bailey is accompanied by her mother, cousin, and sister on commissioning day at Fort Dest Moines, IA. Learn more about her story here: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.108519/.

African American women who donned a uniform during World War II confronted tremendous obstacles. Joining up meant taking a stand against those both inside the service and outside of it who maintained that women and African Americans had no place in the military.

Compelled by their sense of patriotic duty and the promise of opportunities for advancement, African American women chose to serve their country despite the discrimination, hostility, and sometimes outright violence they faced while doing so.

Whether stationed stateside or abroad, they persevered with honor and often humor, their accomplishments a testament to their integrity and determination. Here, we spotlight a handful of collections from the Veterans History Project archive relating to African American women who served during World War II.

Learn more: https://www.loc.gov/collections/veterans-history-project-collection/serving-our-voices/diverse-experiences-in-service/african-american-women-in-world-war-ii/

Fought in nearly every corner of the globe, World War II sent servicemen and women to far-flung locations they might only have dreamed of visiting, thus sightseeing was a frequent pastime during periods of rest and relaxation and after the end of hostilities. For African Americans stationed in the European Theater during World War II, even for those in segregated units, service overseas offered the chance to play tourist in the same easy manner as white soldiers--a rare opportunity for those accustomed to the travel limitations imposed by Jim Crow laws back home. Master Sergeant Ellis Ross' collection of over 250 photographs offers a glimpse into his off-duty experiences during his service with the Quartermaster Corps: touring Rome, Paris, and London, enjoying time at the beach, and befriending Italian civilians.

Learn more: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.45353/

"I think the most important thing I learned [in the Navy] is that I'm as good as anybody."

More than 2 million WWII veterans utilized the GI Bill to pursue higher education, including Augustus Prince, who went on to earn a degree in physics from Penn after serving as a radar operator aboard the USS Santee.
For Prince, being accepted into that role was more than just a duty assignment; it was a defining moment of confidence and dignity as a young African American man.
His story: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.23696/

On this “Drop Everything And Read” Day, VHP staff took a look at some of the memoirs written by veterans in our collection. If you’re searching for a quick, but powerful, read for D.E.A.R. Day, check out Odra Bradley’s four-page memoir relaying his experiences with segregation during his service in WWII. At the end of the memoir, he describes using the GI Bill and eventually earning a Doctorate in Education to become a college professor. Read Odra Bradley’s memoir at https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc2001001.99995.pm0004001/?st=gallery

During World War II, as millions of men were sent overseas, Black women in America stepped into critical labor roles, many working on the U.S. railroads.

In an era of labor shortages, these women took on jobs in track maintenance, loading freight, and supporting essential rail operations that helped move troops and supplies across the country. Prior to this, most Black women were relegated to service roles within segregated rail industries. However, during the war, they broke through those barriers, marking a significant shift in both race and gender roles in the workforce.

While their contributions were often unrecognized, these women’s labor was vital to keeping the wartime economy running. Executive Order 8802, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, opened the door for Black workers, including women, in defense-related industries, though railroad work wasn’t explicitly part of the order. Despite facing segregation and discrimination, these women made history by helping maintain the very tracks that connected the nation.

Their names may not have always been recorded, but their work has had an enduring impact. Black women in the workforce during WWII weren’t just filling jobs—they were changing the fabric of American labor history, proving that heroes don’t always wear uniforms.

A protestor in Chicago, 1941.
If Black men could carry weapons and fight for the United States under “Uncle Sam,” why were they being denied jobs such as driving delivery trucks or working in local industries?

Groups like the Negro Labor Relations League and other activists used protests like this to challenge unfair hiring practices and push for equal access to employment.

These demonstrations were part of a broader movement to address racial inequality in the workforce. Activists organized boycotts, pickets, and public campaigns to pressure companies into hiring Black workers in roles they had traditionally been excluded from.

The argument was simple: equal contribution should mean equal opportunity.

An 135 African‑American burials and several missing Black soldiers are at the Normandy American Cemetery, helping to restore their place in the official story of D‑Day.

The US forces taking part in the Normandy Landings also included many black troops. The US armed forces were segregated, meaning that African-American personnel were formed into separate units, usually with white officers. Many such units were deliberately excluded from combat as the authorities’ prejudices meant they were considered unsuitable for front line service.

Men of the US Army’s 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion landed on both Omaha and Utah Beaches on 6 June 1944. They were one of very few US Army units to land on both beaches.

The 320th carried small ‘very low altitude’ barrage balloons which were flown from cables. These aimed to prevent enemy aircraft making lower level, and therefore more accurate, attacks on US forces.

The D-Day actions of one man from 320th Barrage Balloon Battalion have become increasingly well known in recent years. Corporal Waverly B. Woodson Jr was a medic with the battalion. Landing on Omaha Beach on 6 June, he was himself wounded, but he began treating wounded comrades.

Woodson worked for 30 hours continuously, under enemy fire, and attended to over 200 casualties. His own wounds were not treated until 4pm on the day after D-Day. At the time he was proposed for the Medal of Honor, the highest American award for bravery, though the award was not fulfilled. In 2023, his courage was given belated recognition through the posthumous award of the Bronze Star and Combat Medic Badge.

https://theddaystory.com/black-history-month-reclaiming-narratives-of-d-day/

Black History Month: Reclaiming Narratives of D-Day African and Caribbean contributions to the 1944 Normandy campaign.