Julia M. Jackson Woods scrapbook, 1942-1947

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This scrapbook was created by Julia M. Jackson Woods (1911-2000), an African American woman from Louisville, Kentucky, who enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in November 1942. The scrapbook contains greeting cards, newspaper clippings, and ephemera from Woods' service, as well as more than 20 insignia and patches collected from various units, including her own sergeant stripes. The scrapbook documents the social side of military base life - cards from USO groups and friends, marriages, dances, and other interracial interactions between otherwise segregated regiments stationed at the same bases. A few items at the end of the volume relate to Woods' postwar life in Louisville. Woods served in the all-Black 32nd Post Headquarters Company of the WAAC. She did much of her training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, near the Mexican border; she also served stints in Des Moines, Iowa and Midland, Texas. A clipping on one of the initial pages of the scrapbook notes that Jackson was one of Louisville's first volunteers to join the WAAC. She was discharged on August 14, 1943. After the United States Congress authorized the creation of the Women's Army Corps (WAC), she enlisted in the WAC on May 1, 1944. She ultimately reached the rank of sergeant and served in the military police force. The Army discharged her on December 24, 1945. After her service, she married Thomas Harry Woods (1914-1961) and was hired as the head of the all-Black Western Kentucky Vocational Training School Department of Cosmetology in Paducah, Kentucky, by 1946.

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Last edit 8 months ago by meraseifu
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9/Sgt Julia M Jackson Started this book in basic training Nov - 1942.

Last edit about 1 year ago by Hannah O'Daniel McCallon
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[top of page: hand written notes from left to right] April 11-1 (M.P. pin/ [page torn] Given to me [page torn] a friend m [page torn]

[stamped number] J501259

[page torn] to me [page torn] y Claude Pease

Calvary Camp Lackett Calif.

[picture of three women sitting in chairs cut from a newspaper] WAAC RECRUITS--Lena Mae Whedbee, 1044 South 34th street; Julia Jackson, 1326 South Hancock and Lucy Mace, 1124 South 12th street, as they entrained Sunday for the WAAC training center at Des Moines, Iowa. These three young ladies are the first to join from the city proper. --Photo by Sydnor.

[hand written note] First birthday in the army 1943

[White birthday card with illustration of a white female soldier encircled by a red, white, and blue ribbon. The card is also embellished with illustrated red and blue flowers] Birthday greetings TO A GIRL IN THE WAAC

[hand written note] 368th Pin Stolen from a friend when first came] into the Army 1943

[new paper column pasted in far right] d BLUE HELMET , FRIDAY, JANUAR[page cut]

SOLDIER OF THE WEEK

Fort Huachuca has among it's enlisted men many soldiers who in civilian life, contributed much to the welfareof the general public.

Pvt. Hiram C. Wheatle, Headquarters, 25th Infantry, although only twenty-nine years of age, has, through his real estate connections, done his share toward making living conditions more comfortable for the residents of New York State.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Pvt. Wheatle came to this country some fifteen years ago. He was graduated from George Washington High School in New York City, after which he attended Columbia University, where he majored in Business Administration.

At the early age of twenty-one, Pvt. Wheatle obtained his real estate license in the State of New York.

A few of his accomplishments since that time are as follows:

Pvt. Wheatle aided in the organization of the Harlem Real Estate Board of which he was voted to the position of Secretary and a member of the Board of Directors. The primary purpose of this board was, and still is, to improve living conditions in New York State.

The organization of the Constantine Realty Corp., must be accredited to our "Soldier of the Week," which now has a capital of over two hundred thousand dollars. Even though he is in the Army, Pvt. Wheatle has still been retained by the Constantine Realty Corporation, as its President.

In addition to the above duties, Pvt. Wheatle was the transactor of many real estate deals under the banner of his own business "Hiram C. Wheatle, Real Estate," of New York City.

A great lover of sports, he was Captain of the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club, and a member of the St. Nicholas Tennis Club.

Pvt. Wheatle was inducted into the Army on November 5, 1942, and hortly after his arrival here, was assigned to Headquarters of the 25th Infantry as a clerk, where he is proving himself to be quite efficient.

Asked what his greatest ambition is, Pvt. Wheatle answered, "My greatest ambition at this time is to do all that is within my power to defeat the evil forces of Hitlerism. However, after the war I hope to organize a Savings Bank in the state of New York."

Judging by his past record, it is our belief that both ambitions will be realized.

[Handritten beside a button pin on the bottom right corner] 3697.A. Stolen from a friend 1943

Last edit about 1 year ago by Hannah O'Daniel McCallon
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[gap]UGGING FOR WAACS [illegible] Times [photograph two smiling women] By Times Staff Photographer. Lieut. Doris M. Norrel, Lieut. Glendora Moore

1st Negro Members of Army Auxiliary In City Enlist 6 In Day.

With the silver bars of first lieutenants on their shoulders. first Negro members of the Women's Army Auxilary Corps to arrive in Louisville, Doris M. Norrel and Glendora Moore, are recruiting Negroes for the women's Army.

Leaving their base at Fort Hayes, Ohio, Monday, they added the name of six Louisville Negro women to the Waac roster. Lieu-

tenants Norrel and Moore explain the training and conduct mental and physical tests at a temporary headquarters at the U.S.O. Center, 920 W. Chestnut.

Recruits, Lieutenant Norrel explained, must be between 21 and 45, must pass Army mental and physical tests and have no dependent children under 14 years of age. ''All officers,'' she said, ''are chosen from the Auxiliary ranks.''

First Women in the Army [Christmas card red flowers in a ribboned box crate CHRISTMAS Greetings]

SECTION 1 THE COU[gap] Noted Negro Scientist, Dr. G. W. Carver, Dies

Was Born Of Slave Parents

Tuskegee, Ala., Jan. 5 (AP) - Dr. George Washington Carver, the noted Negro scientist, died tonight at his home at Tuskegee Institute.

Dr. Carver had been in failing health for some months and was confined to his bed for the past ten days.

Born of slave parents at Diamond Grove, Mo., he was never sure of his birth date, but once estimated that it was ''about 1864.''

Joined Faculty in 1894

He became a member of the Tuskegee Institute faculty in 1894 and had been attached to the Negro institution ever since.

Dr. Carver was recognized as one of the outstanding scientists in the field of agricultural research. He discovered scores of uses for such lowly products as sweet potatoes, peanuts and clay. From the south's red clay and sandy loam he developed ink, pigments, cosmetics, paper, paint and many other articles.

He will be buried in Tuskegee Cemetery, where also lies Booker T. Washington, founder and first president of the school.

Was Noted Artist, Too.

While Dr. Carver was best known for his contributions to southern agrictulure, he also was a noted artist whose works have hung in a number of well known galleries.

He was a humble man who passed up worldly gain ''to work among the trees and the ferns and the grass of God's good earth.''

Associates tell of the time that a pecan blight struck Alabama and Florida trees in the 1920's. A grower came to Dr. Carver with a plea for a cure, offering a large sum of money if he would undertake research. Dr. Carver developed a cure and his price to that grower and all others

[photograph: DR. CARVER.]

was merely the postage stamp necessary to mail it.

He Was Kidnapped Once.

When quite young, he and his mother were kidnapped from the farm where he was born and taken into Arkansas. His master, Moss Carver, ransomed him with a race horse but his mother had disappeared by the time a messenger reached the kidnappers.

Carver's cherished goal was a college education and he surmounted all difficulties to attain it. He was graduated from a Minneapolis, Kan. high school and then entered Simpson College, Iowa, where he earned his tuition by working in the college laundry. The future scientist spent the next few years at Iowa State College, accepting a faculty position there after he had attained his master's degree.

Received Many Honors.

In 1894, Dr. Carver became Tuskegee's first director of agriculture. As he grew older, he was released from his faculty duties to become the institute's consulting chemist and director of the U.S. Agricultural Experiment Station.

Given to ?? Lucy Joe [gap]at Ft. Huachuca May 18-1945

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White envelope in top left corner reads: X-mas 1942 The Staff Of The Chestnut Street U.S.O. Club Wishes You A Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year Names: Kenneth A. Morris LouAlma Lankford William S. Coleman Myrtle B. Crawford

Card located on the middle left side which depicts the statue of liberty, American flag, and four military aircraft reads: Christmas Greetings To my SWEETHEART in The SERVICE Note at the bottom reads: First x-mas in the army. 1942

Card located on the middle right side reads: First x-mas in the army 1942 Location depicted on card: Unknown. Depiction of buildings next to a river with a boat and walkable bridge.

Last edit about 1 year ago by elmedina
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