Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 27 November 1998 — Page 3

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27,1988

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAPE A3

The first Black marines

Back In The Day j By COURTNEY L. CANNON-SCOTT NNPA

Sempdr Fi... short for Semper. fidelis, the Latin motto of the United States Marine Corps means jalways faithful.” I know an exmarine, who even though he is no longer in service, always carries himself proudly and still remains faithful to the ideals the Corps stand for. He has two families... his birth family and the Marines! When searching for your anpesi, do not overtook the military that has been so much a part our history as African AmeriMarines are leaders who have ioneered the way in integrating e Armed Services, and thus ges the country. When we reber their struggles and sacrices we are giving tribute to our

ancestors whose strength these soldiers surely inherited. In 1941, several months before the attack on Pearl Harbor, U S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order #8802 to establish the Fair Employment Practice Commission. This prohibited discrimination by any government agency and was the beginning of the end of officiallysanctioned segregation in America. A public announcement was made in May of 1920 letting people know Marine recruiting

would begin the following month. The first African-American recruit to arrive [on Aug. 26,1942] at Montford Point, the training location for colored troops, was Howard P. Perry from Charlotte, N.C. He was soon joined by 119 other privates and began military training with them in September. Over the next two years, Montfdrd Point was the training site for 20,000 Black men in the 51 st and 52nd Defense Battalions. Although the Colored troops trained in the same way as Whites at nearby Camp Lejune, they woe kept separate from them and served m all-Black units in battle

zones. Early in 1943, the first Black non-commissioned officers were appointed at Montford Point leaving the way clear for most of the white drill instructors to leave by April. Despite the insults and negative attitudes the Black Marines encountered, they remained steadfut to their training and ideals, often outperforming their white counterparts. African Americans continued to serve in segregated military units until the fall of 1949 when full integration was established by tut executive order from then U.S. President Harry S. Truman. Also, during the fall of 1949, Annie E.

Graham became the first African American female to enlist in the Marine Corps! If you have a family member who served in the Marines or another branch of the military, you owe it to yourself to uncover the details of their history. An African proverb states, “If we stand tall, it is because we stand on the backs of those who came before us.” We have a rich and proud heritage worth researching. Be like the first Black Marines • make a difference today and honor your ancestors (military and civilian) - be always faithful to yourself - the future depends on it!

For more information about the first Black Marines or to order a 90-minute video documentary for $24.95 call 1-800-405-6767. See the history through the eyes of the first African Americans to cross the color line in 1942 in the United States Marine Corps. If you or someone you know is a Marine, consider attending the annual Montford Point Marine Association National Convention in Louisville, Ky., every July. Information about this Black Marine event is available from Master Gunnery Sgt. (Retired) Brooks E Gray at P.O. Box 12546, Philadelphia, Pa., 19151-or call (215)879-4593.

Leni

NOTES Continuad from At

it is expected to be nearly $4 billion over 26 years, with a first installment of about $49 million due early next year. The state Would get $131 million more in April 2000 and another $141 million in April 2001.0’Bannon |aid he’ll ask state lawmakers to help decide how to spend it ; “With a settlement of this jnagnitude, we will work with die General Assembly in plannins (he best ways to use this money.” (he governor explained. But he tad the attorney general sketched

Out some suggestions.

The majority of the settlement funds received during the state’s next budget cycle should be used

for children’s health, anti-

smoking programs and other public health initiatives, includ-

ing support of local health departments, they said.

Other possible uses of settlement funds include expanding health insurance to low-income working families and to support

farmosio ease men uan^

sition to other crops, they added. Gretchen Sneegas, 12, of Indianapolis, was proclaimed the Midwest’s “youth advocate of the

year” by the Campaign for

Tobacco-Free Kids. “Kids smoke to be cool. They do it because of peer pressure-to make a decision on their own,” said the 7th grader at New Augusta Public Academy. “But nine our of 10 adults who smoke, started smoking before they turned 18. It would be great if we could do more to keep them

from getting started.”

“Nationwide, about 3,000 kids start smoking every day, and a third of them will die prematurely because of it,” O’Bannon said. “This money can go a long way toward preventing Hoosier kids from ever getting hooked on tobacco and toward helping

citizens stop smoking mid

recover from smoke-related

illness.”

“This is a unique opportunity for Indiana to target programs that could make a difference to the children of the state," Modi sett added. “It is also an opportunity for Congress to do what’s right and authorize federal regulation of the tobacco indus-

try.”

Indiana ranks ninth among the 50 states in the percentage of its residents who smoke and sixth for percentage of tobacco-related deaths. The settlement requires the tobacco companies to contribute $1.45 billion over the next five years to support a national campaign of anti-smoking education and advertising plus $250 million to reduce teen Mimkifig Other provisions in the settlement would ban tobacco ads Jmd marketing that target youth or use cartpon characters. It would alsb prohibit tobacco billboards and transit advertising and would ban the sale and

with tobacco logos. Indiana filed suit against flpmrefr cnpyUM* la Bcli—a«y 1997. This settlement does not

IMIMd

i •

B - BP' iBr

SHOP FRIDAY: 7 AM -10 PM

EARLY BIRD COUPONS

i*.

FRIDAY 7AM-11AM

1 ■ ■lr* i -r*~rrn:-‘--^ri?Tr‘r

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AM ONLY

M\mm

liinjN

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-UAM ONLY FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-1IAM ONLY

; f i f J rn j d

IWM

fl|||p

IPJIWPJ

IliMN

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AIVI ONLY

a1|b

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AM ONLY

■

KUBi

oppiL

Hll

liii jwiiih

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AM ONLY FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AIVI ONLY FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AM ONLY

grin fk:m

BnjiMiRi

, . ; , , ,

mmmi Ipi

FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AIVI-L1AM ONLY FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM-11AM ONLY FRIDAY NOV. 27 7AM HAM ONLY

Hg&fttMCirra

mKi

JIM

full

mm i Jii

i our IMS

LAZARUS

JiJv. 'jC.

.vi