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African-Americans and the U.S. Coast Guard

Historical Information on African-Americans in the Coast Guard
and its Predecessor Services

The crew of the Pea Island Life-Saving Station, circa 1890s.
Keeper Richard Etheridge is on the left.

General Information:

• A History of African-Americans in the Coast Guard

• African-Americans in the Coast Guard: A Historical Chronology

• African-Americans in the Coast Guard: A Photo Gallery

• "Pioneers of Diversity: African Americans in the U.S. Coast Guard": a tri-fold, illustrated historical (and printable) pamphlet.

• CDR Carleton Skinner's memoir: the Coast Guard officer who commanded the first integrated ship in the U.S. fleet, the USS Sea Cloud, describes his experiences

• The Integration of the Armed Forces, 1940-1965; Chapter 4: World War II: The Marine Corps and the Coast Guard.  The chapter regarding the integration of the Coast Guard from the U.S. Army's official history by Morris J. MacGregor, Jr.

• The first African-American Coast Guard officers: "Pioneers of Ethnic Diversity in the American Sea Services: Trained at the Academy, they broke barriers while serving their country."  An article published in the October 2011 issue of the Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association Bulletin by Dr. William Thiesen on Joseph C. Jenkins, Harvey C. Russell, Jr., Clarence Samuels, Javis Leon Wright, Jr. & Merle J. Smith, Jr.

• My Friend!  My Brother!  My Shipmate!  An article concerning integration in the Coast Guard in the early 1950s on board the USCGC Lilac by Coast Guard writer and veteran James Mooney.

• Coast Guard Station Tiana, Long Island, New York: the station was manned by African-American Coast Guardsmen during World War II

• Coast Guard Station Pea Island: the famous Life-Saving Station that was manned by an all-African-American crew

• A History of Station Pea Island and African Americans in the Coast Guard (Power Point)

Information on Notable African-American Coast Guardsmen:

• Joseph Hall Berry
• Maxie Berry
• Erroll Brown
• Manson K. Brown
• Herbert M. Collins
• Charles W. David
• Louis C. Etheridge
• Richard Etheridge
• Alex Haley
• Robert E. Hammond
• Michael Healy
• Oliver T. Henry
• Olivia Hooker
• Joseph C. Jenkins
• Jacob Lawrence
• Vincent Patton
• Stephen W. Rochon
• Clarence Samuels
• Bobby C. Wilks
• Edward Williams
• John Witherspoon

• African-American & other Minority "Firsts"

• Minorities and the Coast Guard: A Historical Bibliography
  

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