History Professor Writes Book
Detailing Life of Black Soldiers
During World War II
Fayetteville, N.C. -- While pouring over
records at the National Archives in Wash
ington D.C., Dr. Phillip McGuire, a Fay
etteville State University history professor
discovered hundreds of govemment-classi-
fied letters written by Black soldiers during
World War II.
He has selected and commented on a
number of them in his book. Taps for a
Jim Crow Army, covering a broad range of
abuses and injustices suffered by Black
soldiers. Dr. McGuire has left the letters as
they were written, sometimes eloquent,
often ungrammatical, but always deeply
emotional.
"This is the first time someone has col
lected these letters and put them together in
one volume,’ Dr. McGuire said. "They
provide a powerful illustration and confirm
many tales I've heard about discrimination
against Black soldiers in World War II.
The major theme of the book is that
Blacks faced a color barrier in the military
during the 1940s, but that today skin color
doesn't prevent Black soldiers from
having successful military careers. "The
military continues to play an important role
by providing young African-American
men and women with career opportunities
and upward social mobility.
"I want my students and the public to
acquire a feeling for the broader historical
mission that Black soldiers correctly sensed
they were performing by serving their
country during World War II," Dr. McGuire
said.
"The African-American community be
lieved that if the U.S. military could be
integrated, then the integration of all of
American society would follow," he said.
Many Blacks in the U.S. Army during
World War II were hopeful that they might
make permanent gains as a result of their
military service and their willingness to
defend their country. Dr. McGuire's book
details the soldiers' disillusionment, rage,
and anguish over the discrimination and
segregation they experienced in the Army.
Most Black troops were denied entry
into Army specialist schools; Black offic
ers were not allowed to command white
officers; Black soldiers were served poorer
food and were forced to ride Jim Crow
military buses into town and to sit in Jim
Crow base movie theaters.
In the South, German prisoners of war
could use the same latrines as white Ameri
can soldiers, but Blacks could not. "White
soldiers would not sleep or eat with Black
soldiers, "Dr. McGuire said. "The military
reflected the times. Whites in the military
had the same thoughts and attitudes of
whites in the larger society."
Interview with Dr. Phillip McGuire;
Sept 13, 1993 submitted by Kathleen
Barron
Dr. Phillip McGuire, a professor of
history at Fayetteville State University,
haspublishedabooktitled, TAPSFORA
JIM CRO H'A RMY: Letters from Black
Soldiers in World War II. The usage of
the word “taps” in the title is suggestive
of “lights out,” or the end of the day, and
symbolically represents the end of segre
gation in the Army. "Taps for a Jim Crow
Army" is a powerful collection of letters
written by Black soldiers in the 1940s to
various government and nongovernment
officials.” According to Dr. McGuire,
the underlying theme of the letters was
the search for equality and racial justice.
Dr. McGuire became interested in the
subject while researching his doctoral
di ssertation entitled “Black Civilian Aides
and the Problems of Racism and Segrega
tion in the United States Armed Forces:
1940 - 1950”. His research focused on
the first black judge in the United States,
William H. Hastie, who was appointed as
civilian aide to the Secretary of War from
1940 to 1943. Dr. McGuire finished his
dissertation in 1975 and published his
first book in 1988: He, Too, Spoke for
Democracy, Judge Hastie, World War
II, and the Black Soldier. Black soldiers
had been fighting and dying for the prin
ciples of democracy since tlie American
Revolution. The question, then, was how
was it possible to be fighting for democ
racy while being denied democracy
themselves. “Many black soldiers serv
ing in the U. S. Army... were hopeful that
they might make permanent gains as a
result of their military service and their
willingnesstodefendtheircountiy.” After
World Warn, progess was madeinbreak-
ing down segregation through the efforts
of Black leaders, advocacy of white sup
porters such as Eleanor Roosevelt, and
through the persistence of the Black sol
diers themselves. Dr. McGuire developed
two theses in the book. One is the idea
that race was a significant factor in the
placement, training, and promotion of
black soldiers. The second is that the
military continues to play a significant
role in the social mobility of young Blacks.
Ur. McGuire is originally from Dallas,
Texas where his family still resides. He
received his doctorate at Howard Univer
sity in 1975. He has taught at Ohio State
University, at UNC, Wilmington, and is
in his fourth year at FSU. The hardback of
J/^P^was published in August, 1993 and
the softback is currently available. The
hardback version sells for $35 and the
paperback for $19. Dr. McGuire’s book
will be available in the FSU bookstore.
AIR FORCE RESERVE
OFFICER'S TRAINING
CORPS
by Jimmie Griffin
Air Force Reserve Officer's Training
Corps. What do those words mean? Every
one who goes to college is aware of the
ROTC acronym, but behind the uniform
and the marching, what does it all stand for?
In a recent interview with Captain Dennis
Wilder, an instructor at FSU'S AFROTC
detachment, he explained the many benefits
of the Aerospace Science elective.
The program is primarily designed to
provide well- qualified officers the oppor
tunity to meet the demands of today s Air
Force. After two years in an ROTC General
Military Course (GMC), the cadet has the
option to attend a four-week summer camp.
While at the camp, the cadet is evaluated
according to the qualities desired in a future
officer such as discipline, integrity and
responsibility. After successful evalua
tion, the cadet may choose to train for an
Air Force career.
The Professional Officer’s Course ^OC)
prepares cadets for the transition to military
life. Upon graduating from the course, the
cadet receives a comimssion as a Secon
Lieutenant with an annual starting salary o
$26,500. In addition to medical and dental
benefits, the cadet receives thirty days o
paid vacation as well as many other oppor
tunities.
What are the benefits for those who
choose not to pursue a career in the Aii
Force? The cadet enjoys the many activities
in which the unit participates without My
of the obligations. As an example, the F
detachment has a mibtary ball in the
semester and a cadet dining out in th
spring. Therearealsovisitstobasesinsucn
places as Orlando, Phoemx, Atlanta, on
gomery and Washington, D.C. There ar^
also opportunities to be active in
nity service, to develop long-lasting
ships, and to develop disciplin® an ,
personal skills that are essential to perso
success. ,Contu,ueio„nextp.ge)