Watch: The Inspiring Story of Annie N. Graham, the 1st Black Woman in the Marine Corps
History
By Ethan E. Rocke | March 08, 2021
“My mother was a patriot. She was proud to have served in the Marines,†Stephanie Gilliard-Sheard says in an interview, describing Sgt. Annie Graham, the first African American woman in the Marine Corps. “She was courageous to decide to go and do what she did.â€
Gilliard-Sheard spoke with Cpl. Roxanna Ortiz and Staff Sgt. Connor Hancock of the 1st Marine Division Jan. 28 and shared an old letter her mother wrote about her service as a Marine. Ortiz and Hancock highlighted the unique piece of history, telling the story of Graham’s history-making service in the video below.
“Back then it was a man’s world. […] Now it’s so different for women,†Gilliard-Sheard says in the video. “They can do just about any job — the same job as most men can do.â€
Annie Graham blazed a path for future generations of Black women in the Marine Corps when she enlisted on Sept. 8, 1949. She served until 1952, and her legacy persists today.
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