Black and White
In the early months of World War II, the Navy Department designated Great Lakes as the only site for training African-American recruits. Since recruit training camps were named after naval heroes, it was thought fitting to do the same for the camp that would train African-American sailors. The recruits and Service School students were trained at Camp Robert Smalls, named for the African-American Civil War hero. During the War, Service School Command saw integration as a practical and necessary step to improve training for all Sailors. In 1944, a few African-American students were integrated with whites on an experimental basis. The experiment proved successful and soon the “Negro Service Schools” disappeared.
Marker is on Farragut Avenue near Sampson Road, on the left when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
