Inventory of the United Service Organizations (U.S.) Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.) Visitor Book, 1945-1947

Collection Number 5334-z

Manuscripts Department, University Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Contact Information:

Manuscripts Department

CB#3926, Wilson Library

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890

Phone: 919/962-1345

Fax: 919/962-3594

Email: mss@email.unc.edu

URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/

Descriptive Summary

Repository

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.

Creator

United Service Organizations (U.S). Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.)

Title

United Service Organizations (U.S.) Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.) Visitor Book, 1945-1947

Call Number

5334-z

Language of Materials

Materials in English

Extent

Items: 1

Administrative Information

Restrictions to Access

No restrictions.

Acquisitions Information

Purchased from Rinda Estes of Pittsboro, N.C., in June 2007 (Acc. 100694).

Processing Information

Processed by: Joyce Chapman, September 2007

Encoded by: Joyce Chapman, September 2007

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the United Service Organizations (U.S.) Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.) Visitor Book #5334, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

African American soldiers--United States.

Jacksonville (N.C.)--History.

Soldiers--Recreation--United States--History--20th century.

United Service Organizations (U.S). Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.)

United States. Marine Corps--History--World War, 1939-1945.

World War, 1939-1945--War work.

World War, 1939-1945--Participation, African American.

Historical Note

The USO (United Service Organizations) is a nonprofit organization, formed in 1942 by various civilian organizations in response to a 1941 request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt that private organizations handle the on-leave recreation of the armed forces. Throughout World War II, USO clubs served as a "home away from home" for American G.I.s. They also served as an important focal point for community involvement in the war effort. The Newberry Street USO in Jacksonville, N.C., served the first African American Marines in the United States; the Newberry Club is also the oldest in the nation, established 23 April 1942. Through a presidential directive in 1942, Roosevelt authorized African Americans to enter the United States Marine Corps for the first time. However, instead of being integrated into the traditional Marine camps, African American Marines were segregated to Montford Point, a facility at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. Between 1942 and 1947 approximately 20,000 African American soldiers trained at Montford Point.

Collection Overview

The United Service Organizations (U.S.) Service Club visitor book from the Newberry Street USO in Jacksonville, N.C., is a loose leaf binder with a hand-drawn cover labeled "What Do You Think About Our USO Club? Property of the Newberry Street USO Jacksonville, N.C., Mr. J.W. Joyner, Director." There are approximately 80 pages of messages and sketches, the majority of which date from 1945 to 1946 and are notes of thanks and encouragement to the USO's director, J. W. Joyner, and his staff. All messages but one are hand written. Most of messages are from Marines, although there are also a few from Marines' family members and one typed message from the wife of the relief director of the national USO; many include rank and current or future postal addresses and some mention what the men hoped to do after leaving the service.

Detailed Description of the Collection