Montford Point Marines

WHEREAS, The Montford Point Marines were the first to serve in the Corps since the Revolutionary War. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) was founded in 1775; and, in 1776 and 1777, a dozen Black Americans served in the Revolutionary War. From 1798 to 1942, the United States Marine Corps (USMC) followed a racially discriminatory policy of denying African Americans the opportunity to serve as Marines. Our USMC had become the most racially intolerant part of the military; and

WHEREAS, President Roosevelt established a presidential directive giving African Americans an opportunity to be recruited into the Marine Corps. These African Americans, from all states, were not sent to traditional boot camps at Paris Island, South Carolina and San Diego, California. American Marines were segregated – experiencing basic training at Montford Point – a facility at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Approximately twenty thousand African Americans received basic training at Montford Point between 1942 and 1949. The initial intent of the Marine Corps hierarchy was to discharge these African American Marines after the war (World War II) returning them to civilian life – leaving the Marine Corps an all-white organization; and

WHEREAS, In 1965, an entrepreneurial group of Marine veterans established the National Montford Point Marines Association, a not-for-profit organization, in Philadelphia, and, in 2020, the New Jersey Ken Rollock, Chapter 45, honoring Rollock, the recipient robbing 400 Montford Point Marines of a Congressional Medal of Honor (June 27, 2017). The chapters actively report on history and continue to support opportunities for young people in the Marine Corps.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People hereby commends the dedicated services to our country and democracy of the Montford Point Marines.