Photo By Staff Sgt. Javier Alvarez | Teresa Couch, Library Technician at the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Library,...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska - With every Black History Month observance comes a theme highlighting a particular aspect of black history.
This year’s is "Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African-American Memories."
Geographic locations that became battlegrounds for progress – and help define black history – are predominantly associated with the American South.
Cities like Selma and Montgomery, Alabama, are likely to be in the forefront of people’s minds when considering the subject. And not just locations, but people are also held as figures, central and defining to the observance.
“[Some of the] most famous people in black history are Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass – everybody knows those names,” said Jodie Evans, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Library reference librarian. “When I do my displays, I try to show people that are lesser known. I try to suggest Phillis Wheatley, Denmark Vesey, Marcus Garvey. I try to steer them toward unknown or lesser-known people so that information gets out there.”
While Alaska might not seem so prominent with respect to black history, there remains a footprint in the Last Frontier, and JBER remains a viable site to learn about black history.
From outposts in Dyea and Skagway, where “Buffalo Soldiers” maintained law and order, to the building of the Alaska Highway and the legacy of a Tuskegee Bombardment Group upheld on JBER, there are many historical marks left by black service members in Alaska.
At the time of the Alaska gold rush, the border between Alaska and Canada was blurred; in an effort to fend off Canadian aggression, American Soldiers were strategically stationed throughout eastern portions of the state.
Buffalo soldiers – a name given to black Soldiers by Native Americans who likened their drive to that of the buffalo – were stationed at Dyea and Skagway to uphold the flag.
According to the U.S. National Park Service, these Soldiers played a vital role in providing law and order in the gold rush boomtowns.
Further information on Buffalo Soldiers in Alaska can be found at the JBER Library.
In February 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt authorized the building of the Alaska Highway.
Black and white service members from the Army Corps of Engineers worked together on the project at a time when the armed forces were segregated. One third of the 11,000 troops who worked on the highway were black.
Black units fought frigid temperatures and racism throughout. While many black service members were skilled at using bulldozers and other power tools, some units were given hand tools to use in the construction.
According to the WGBH [Radio] Educational Foundation, the construction of the Alaska Highway by black and white service members was arguably a stepping stone on the road toward integrating the military.
Today, memorials throughout the highway serve as landmarks, honoring the service members who worked on the project.
Those interested in learning more about the Alaska Highway can visit the JBER hospital, where a timeline outlining construction of the highway is on display.
In 2007, the 477th Bombardment Group became the 477th Fighter Group, bringing with it the legacy of Tuskegee Airmen to Alaska.
The 477th BG was the first black group to train in multi-engine bombers.
“The 477th never actually saw combat,” said Tech. Sgt. Brian Lashley, 477th Fighter Group historian. “They hit racial barriers and they were denied chances to go forward. At the time, there were people in place that suppressed and kept them from being in the fight.”
By coordinating a visit to the 477th FG headquarters, individuals with base access have the ability to view Tuskegee memorabilia first hand.
“This is probably the best place in Alaska to see a Tuskegee group in the military,” Lashley said. “No other Tuskegee group exists here or has ever existed here. We have the honor of capturing that history.”
From the base library to the hospital, JBER residents have a multitude of references and sources available which display different aspects of black history.
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 02.19.2016 18:21 |
| Story ID: | 189418 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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