This year’s Montford Point Marine Ceremony honored the largest group of black marines in Jacksonville today. The annual event held at Lejeune Memorial Gardens remembers the lives and legacies of the first group of African American men to enlist in the Marine Corps.
Alfonso Jones was the only living Montford Point Marine to be honored today with a replica Congressional Gold Medal. 54 were recognized posthumously, and their families accepted the medal on their behalf.
"We must continue to champion the calls for the preservation of their legacy," James T. Averhart, president of the Montford Point Marine Association, said. "For this is not just Black history or Marine Corps history, this is American history, and the world should know about the Montford Point Marines.”
In 1942, the first group of Black marines trained in segregated facilities at Montford Point. Up until then, the Marine Corps enforced complete racial discrimination by denying black enlistees. More than 20,000 African Americans trained at Montford Point between 1942 and 1949, when the camp was decommissioned. Many Montford Marines fought overseas in battles such as Iwo Jima and the seizure of Okinawa.
Segregation in the Armed Forces ended in 1948, with an executive order by President Harry Truman.
The 2018 PRE series Montford Point Memories shares unedited interviews with the brave men who were among the first African Americans to serve in the Marine Corps.
Here's some of the stories and other audio captured at today's ceremony.
Montford Point Marine Theodore R. Britton, Jr. shares his reflections on the ceremony and Montford Point.
James T. Averhart's recounts the history of the Montford Point Marines. Averhart is the president of the Montford Point Marine Association.
The Marines' Hymn concluded the ceremony.
