Visitor's Day at the Citizens' Military Training Camp at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, 1940

Item Overview

Title

Visitor's Day at the Citizens' Military Training Camp at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, 1940

Alternative title

Fort MacArthur, Visitors Day

Date Created

August 30, 1940

Collection

OpenUCLA Collections
Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection

Notes

Description

Norman O. Houston was the president of the Golden State Mutual Life Insurance Company, at one time the largest black-owned business west of the Mississippi. He was the son of a pioneer California family, grew up in Oakland, and was a graduate of the University of California Berkeley. Houston was a lieutenant in World War I and was a captain of the California state guard, reserve.
Charles Heard Matthews was a prominent attorney in Los Angeles who served on numerous boards including Golden State and Liberty Savings. He was the younger brother of Miriam Matthews.
African American men, six civilians and 5 in military uniform, are lined up in an open area with tents visible in the background on the left on Visitors' Day at the Citizens' Military Training Camp at Fort MacArthur.
Wesley Russell was an attorney in Los Angeles. He enlisted in the military in December 1941.
Baxter S. Scruggs, was an Officer in WWII and a civil rights leader in the Los Angeles area before and after the war. He worked as the Executive Secretary of the 28th Street YMCA and was also the chairman of the 93rd Division Officers Association. He fought to ban "Jim Crow" in the United States army.
George W. Granberry was an active member of the social life in Los Angeles. He earned a Business degree from the University of Southern California and was a leader and organizer of events for the Kappa Psi Fraternity. He worked as a real-estate broker, and was a veteran of World War II.

Caption

Written on back of photo: Visitor's Day, August 31, 1940, Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, Calif. Citizens Military Training Camp. From left: J. T. Green, Chas. H. Matthews, Norman O. Houston, Baxter S. Scruggs, Major Edward York, Major Milton T. Dean, Col. Louis A. Carter, Major Hal G. Franberry, Lieut. R. E. Gallagher, Lieut. Col. R. A. Dansmore and Wesley Russell.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph

Keywords

Genre

photographs

Subject topic

World War, 1939-1945
African American soldiers

Names

Dean, Milton T.
Gallagher, R. E.
Houston, Norman O. (Norman Oliver), 1893-1981
Carter, Louis A.
United States. War Department. Citizens’ Military Training Camps
York, Edward
Dansmore, R. A.
Green, J. T.
Scruggs, Baxter S. (Baxter Smith), 1894-1999
Russell, Wesley, 1921-1991
Matthews, Charles H. (Charles Hearde), 1906-1985
Green, J. T.
Franberry, Hal G.

Subject geographic

San Pedro (Calif.)

Resource type

still image