To Serve My Country, to Serve My Race : The Story of the Only African-American WACS Stationed Overseas During World War II

The story of the historic 6888th, the first United States Women's Army Corps unit of African American women to serve overseas While African American men and white women were invited, if belatedly, to serve their country abroad, African American women were excluded for overseas duty throughout most of WWII. However, under political pressure from legislators like Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the NAACP, the Black press, and even President Roosevelt, the US War Department was forced to deploy African American women to the European theater in 1945. African American women answered the call to serve from all over the country, from every socioeconomic stratum. Stationed in France and England at the end of World War II, the 6888th brought together women like Mary Daniel Williams, a cook in the unit who signed up for the Army to escape the slums of Cleveland and to improve her ninth-grade education, and Margaret Barnes Jones, the unit's public relations officer, who grew up in a comfortable household with a politically active mother who encouraged her to challenge the system. Despite the social, political, and economic restrictions imposed upon these women in their own country, they were eager to serve, not only out of patriotism but out of a desire to uplift their race and dispel bigoted preconceptions about their abilities. Elaine Bennett, a First Sergeant, joined because I wanted to prove to myself and maybe to the world that we would give what we had back to the United States as a confirmation that we were full- fledged citizens. Filled with compelling personal stories based on extensive interviews, To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race is the first book to document the lives of these courageous pioneers. It reveals how their Army experience affected them for the rest of their lives and how they, in turn, transformed the US military forever.

i Would Have Climbed Up A Mountain To Get On The List [to Serve Overseas]. We Were Going To Do Our Duty. Despite All The Bad Things That Happened, America Was Our Home. This Is Where I Was Born. It Was Where My Mother And Father Were. There Was A Feeling Of Wanting To Do Your Part.
--gladys Carter, Member Of The 6888th

to Serve My Country, To Serve My Race Is The Story Of The Historic 6888th, The First United States Women's Army Corps Unit Composed Of African-american Women To Serve Overseas.
while African-american Men And White Women Were Invited, If Belatedly, To Serve Their Country Abroad, African-american Women Were Excluded For Overseas Duty Throughout Most Of Wwii. Under Political Pressure From Legislators Like Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., The Naacp, The Black Press, And Even President Roosevelt, The U.s. War Department Was Forced To Deploy African-american Women To The European Theater In 1945.
african-american Women, Having Succeeded, Through Their Own Activism And Political Ties, In Their Quest To Shape Their Own Lives, Answered The Call From All Over The Country, From Every Socioeconomic Stratum. Stationed In France And England At The End Of World War Ii, The 6888th Brought Together Women Like Mary Daniel Williams, A Cook In The 6888th Who Signed Up For The Army To Escape The Slums Of Cleveland And To Improve Her Ninth-grade Education, And Margaret Barnes Jones, A Public Relations Officer Of The 6888th, Who Grew Up In A Comfortable Household With A Politically Active Mother Who Encouraged Her To Challenge The System.
despite The Social, Political, And Economic Restrictions Imposed Upon These African-american Women In Their Own Country, They Wereeager To Serve, Not Only Out Of Patriotism But Out Of A Desire To Uplift Their Race And Dispell Bigoted Preconceptions About Their Abilities. Elaine Bennett, A First Sergeant In The 6888th, Joined Because I Wanted To Prove To Myself And Maybe To The World That We Would Give What We Had Back To The United States As A Confirmation That We Were Full- Fledged Citizens.

filled With Compelling Personal Testimony Based On Extensive Interviews, to Serve My Country Is The First Book To Document The Lives Of These Courageous Pioneers. It Reveals How Their Army Experience Affected Them For The Rest Of Their Lives And How They, In Turn, Transformed The U.s. Military Forever.

publishers Weekly

the Deployment Of The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, The Only Group Of Black Wacs (members Of The Women's Army Corps) To Serve Overseas In Wwii, Marked A Significant Turning Point In The Status Of Racial Minorities And Women In The Armed Forces. Drawing On The Testimony Of Former Members Of The Unit, Moore Recounts Its Formation, Training And Service In The European Theater Of Operations In 1945-46, Highlighting The Discrimination The Women Faced Because Of Their Race And Gender. Many, As The Author Shows, Campaigned Actively To Change The Race-biased Policies Of The Wacs Through Boycott And Direct Protest. She Examines What Civilian Life Was Like For Many Of Them Before They Entered The Military And The Various Personal, Political And Economic Reasons That Impelled Them To Join Up, Then Discusses How Their Military Experience Influenced Their Postwar Life: ``although They Did Not Gain Materially, These Women Almost Invariably Said That They Benefitted Spiritually For Having Served.'' Her Study Is An Important Contribution To African American And Gender Studies. Moore, Who Served Six Years In The Army, Is Assistant Professor Of Sociology At Suny-buffalo. Illustrations. (jan.)

To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race is the story of the historic 6888th, the first United States Women's Army Corps unit composed of African American women to serve overseas. While African American men and white women were invited, if belatedly, to serve their country abroad, African American women were excluded from overseas duty throughout most of World War II. Under political pressure from legislators like Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., the NAACP, the black press, and even President Roosevelt, the U.S. War Department was forced to deploy African American women to the European theater in 1945. African American women, having succeeded, through their own activism and political ties, in their quest to shape their own lives, answered the call from all over the country, from every socioeconomic stratum. Stationed in France and England at the end of World War II, the 6888th brought together women like Mary Daniel Williams, a cook in the 6888th who signed up for the Army to escape the slums of Cleveland and to improve her ninth-grade education, and Margaret Barnes Jones, a public relations officer of the 6888th, who grew up in a comfortable household with a politically active mother who encouraged her to challenge the system. Despite the social, political, and economic restrictions imposed upon these African American women in their own country, they were eager to serve, not only out of patriotism but out of a desire to "uplift" their race and dispell bigoted preconceptions about their abilities. Elaine Bennett, a First Sergeant in the 6888th, joined "because I wanted to prove to myself and maybe to the world that we would give what we had back to the United States as a confirmation that we were full-fledged citizens.". Filled with compelling personal testimony based on extensive interviews, To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race is the first book to document the lives of these courageous pioneers. It reveals how their Army experience affected them for the rest of their lives and how they, in turn, transformed the U.S. military forever. **The story of the historic 6888th, the first United States Women's Army Corps unit of African American women to serve overseas**__To Serve My Country, To Serve My Race__