In 1944, US Navy began accepting black women to serve. Harriet Ida Pickens and Ensign Frances Wills were the first two Black officers to be commissioned into the Women’s Reserve.
On October 19th, 1944, the U.S. Navy began admitting black women to serve as administrative officers in the Women's Reserve of the U.S. Navy,better known as WAVES( Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). Despite this groundbreaking order, Black women remained largely unrepresented in the naval branch.
Of the more than 80,000 women serving during World War II, only 72 were black.
The U.S. military's history of racial segregation formally came to an end on July 26, 1948, when President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981, the legislation that integrated all branches of the U.S. armed forces.
On December 26, 1944 Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Harriet Ida Pickens, and Ensign Frances Wills were commissioned as the first African-American WAVES.
I’m at that weird age where every younger person I meet makes me realize how much l've aged, and every older person I meet makes me realize I'm still a baby.
White women have been calling Black women "Shenaenae", "La'Quisha", and "ShaNiqua" in a demeaning manner since the 80's. Latinas were called "Consuela", "Guadalupe", or "Maria" and Asian women were called "Ling-Ling", but the moment ‘Karen’ became a meme criticizing entitled behavior, suddenly people wanted to talk about respect and stereotyping.
Being able to call and depend on a man is a flex. I mean yes I can absolutely handle things on my own but just knowing my life is a little easier because I'm supported and someone always has my back is top tier to me🥺