The Association of 2,221 Negro Volunteers - Collection Finding Aid

The Association of 2,221 Negro Volunteers - Collection Finding Aid

This collection consists of records dealing with the Association of 2,221 Negro Volunteers, World War II soldiers, who are considered the first unit involved in the integration of the American military. The integration occurred in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge when President Eisenhower, offered men of color the opportunity to volunteer out of their service units and go to the front lines and fight with white soldiers. Much of this collection revolves around the correspondence of J. Cameron Wade, viewed as the founder of the Association of 2,221 Negro Volunteers, who went to great lengths in writing to President Clinton and other similar higher-ups in an attempt to get the heroic sacrifices of the unit officially recognized. The material found in the collection is comprised of correspondence, notes, memoranda, newspaper articles, and reports.

William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum