Nationwide — The daughter of Alfred Masters, the primary African American man enlisted within the U.S. Marine Corps, says she’s shocked {that a} webpage honoring her father was quietly faraway from the Marine Corps web site. She believes it was taken down as a part of a Pentagon assessment of diversity-related content material.
Alfreda Masters stated her father was initially rejected by the Marines in 1942 as a result of he was Black. However after a recruiter later supplied him the prospect to enlist, he grew to become the primary Black Marine. He served in a segregated unit throughout World Conflict II and reached the rank of technical sergeant. His service included deployments in Guam and the South Pacific.
Till lately, the Marine Corps had honored him in a Black Historical past Month article, which additionally acknowledged the Montford Level Marines — the primary group of Black Marines who served throughout segregation. That web page now results in a “404 Not Discovered” error.
Alfreda referred to as the web page removing “unbelievable.” She stated she found the web page was gone when she referred to as Camp Lejeune to ask if her father could be honored once more this yr. The bottom reportedly advised her they now not spotlight particular person figures throughout cultural consciousness months.
“I’m unhappy and indignant on the identical time,” Masters advised ABC Information.
In an announcement, the Marine Corps stated it had eliminated content material associated to cultural consciousness months like Black Historical past Month however clarified that historic mentions of Montford Level Marines, together with Alfred Masters, stay elsewhere on their web site.
Alfreda believes this transfer erases an necessary a part of American historical past, not simply Black historical past. She recalled how her father confronted racism even after his service — together with being compelled to journey in a mail automotive on his approach residence due to segregation legal guidelines within the South.
Regardless of her disappointment, she stays hopeful. “I place confidence in this nation,” she stated. “We’ll get again what’s our due. It’s simply one other battle.”
