Today, Marines of every background train together, live together, and serve side by side. It is easy to assume it was always that way, but it was not. In the decades leading up to World War II, the Marine Corps did not accept Black Americans into its ranks at all. The road from that exclusion to a fully integrated Corps runs through a segregated training camp in North Carolina called Montford Point, and through the determination of roughly 20,000 men who trained there and proved they belonged.
Quick Facts
- June 25, 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 8802, opening the way for Black Americans to enlist in the Marine Corps.
- June 1, 1942: The Marine Corps begins accepting Black recruits.
- August 26, 1942: The first Black recruits arrive at Montford Point, next to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
- 1942 to 1949: About 20,000 Black Marines complete recruit training at Montford Point.
- July 26, 1948: President Harry S. Truman signs Executive Order 9981, calling for equal treatment in the armed forces.
- 1949: Montford Point closes as a separate training camp, and Black and white recruits begin training together.
- 2011: Congress awards the Montford Point Marines the Congressional Gold Medal.
A Door That Was Closed
Before World War II, the Marine Corps did not enlist Black Americans. That began to change in June 1941, when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which banned discrimination in the defense industry and government. Under pressure to open its ranks, the Marine Corps began accepting Black recruits on June 1, 1942. Alfred Masters is recognized as the first Black American to enlist.
The door opened, but not all the way. Black recruits were trained separately at Montford Point, a camp built beside Camp Lejeune. On August 26, 1942, Howard P. Perry of Charlotte, North Carolina, became the first Black private to set foot there. Conditions were difficult, facilities were basic, and recruits faced prejudice both on and off base.
The Montford Point Marines
At first, white drill instructors trained the recruits. By April 1943, Black Marines had taken over as senior drill instructors, including Edgar R. Huff and Gilbert H. “Hashmark” Johnson. Both men became legends. Huff went on to become the first Black sergeant major in the Marine Corps and served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam during a 30-year career. Montford Point itself was later renamed Camp Gilbert H. Johnson in 1974 in Johnson’s honor.
Montford Point Marines served in defense battalions, depot companies, and ammunition companies during World War II. Many of these support units came under fire while moving supplies ashore during major Pacific battles. On February 19, 1945, Black Marines of the 8th Ammunition Company and 36th Depot Company landed on Iwo Jima. About 2,000 Black Marines took part in the Okinawa campaign. In all, more than 19,000 Black Americans served in the Marine Corps during World War II.
Another milestone came on November 10, 1945, the Marine Corps birthday, when Frederick C. Branch was commissioned as a second lieutenant, becoming the first Black Marine officer.
From Segregation to Integration
On July 26, 1948, President Truman signed Executive Order 9981, which called for equality of treatment and opportunity for everyone in the armed services. The change in the Marine Corps did not happen overnight, but it did happen. In 1949, recruit training for Black Marines moved to Parris Island, and Montford Point closed as a separate training camp. For the first time, Black and white recruits went through boot camp together.
The Korean War sped up the process. The Corps needed every Marine it could get, and Black Marines were increasingly assigned to units based on their skills and the Corps’ needs rather than their race. By the mid-1950s, the last segregated units were gone. The Marine Corps had become a fully integrated Corps.
Honoring the Pioneers
For decades, the story of Montford Point was not widely known outside the Corps. That changed as surviving veterans shared their experiences. On November 23, 2011, a law was signed awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Montford Point Marines, one of the highest civilian honors Congress can give. Many of the original Montford Pointers, by then elderly, were able to be recognized in person for what they had endured and achieved.
One Corps for Everyone Who Earns the Title
The idea of a fully integrated Corps reaches beyond race. Women have served as Marines since 1918, and over time the Corps has opened more roles to them as well. Today, every Marine job is open to any recruit who meets the standards. The principle is the same one the Montford Point Marines fought for: the title of Marine belongs to anyone who earns it.
What This Means for Your Recruit
When your recruit arrives at boot camp, the people in their platoon will come from every corner of the country and every kind of background. Drill instructors make it clear from the start that none of that matters. Recruits succeed or fail together, and by the time they earn the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor, many say their platoon feels like family.
That shared experience exists because men like Howard Perry, Edgar Huff, and Gilbert Johnson refused to give up when the Corps did not yet fully accept them. Your recruit will learn about the Montford Point Marines as part of their Marine Corps history, and it is a story worth talking about at home too. Every Marine who graduates today walks a path those pioneers helped open.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Montford Point Marines?
They were the first Black Americans to serve in the Marine Corps. About 20,000 men trained at the segregated Montford Point camp in North Carolina between 1942 and 1949.
When did the Marine Corps start accepting Black recruits?
The Marine Corps began accepting Black recruits on June 1, 1942. The first recruits arrived at Montford Point on August 26, 1942.
When did Marine Corps boot camp become integrated?
Montford Point closed as a separate training camp in 1949, and Black and white recruits began training together at Parris Island that year. Segregated units were phased out during and after the Korean War.
How have the Montford Point Marines been honored?
In 2011, Congress awarded them the Congressional Gold Medal. Montford Point was also renamed Camp Gilbert H. Johnson in 1974 in honor of one of its most respected drill instructors.