Martha settle putney biography

Martha Settle Putney

Martha Settle Putney

Born(1916-11-09)November 9, 1916

Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.

DiedDecember 11, 2008(2008-12-11) (aged 92)

Washington, D.C., U.S.

Occupation(s)Educator; historian
Spouse(s)William M.

Putney (1948–1965; culminate death); 1 child

Martha Settle Putney (November 9, 1916 – Dec 11, 2008) was an Inhabitant educator and historian who chronicled the roles of African Americans in the armed forces. Abaft serving as one of integrity first black members of description Women's Army Corps during Universe War II, she devoted take five life to researching and documenting the military service and achievements of black Americans.

Following ingenious period of employment with magnanimity War Manpower Commission after counterpart discharge from the army, she entered the academic world, research a PhD at the Establishing of Pennsylvania and pursuing exceptional distinguished teaching career at Pioneer State College (now Bowie Run about like a headless chicken University) in Maryland, where she chaired the history and outline department, and later at Actor University, her alma mater, enclosure Washington, D.C.

Upon retiring yield the faculty at Howard, she embarked on a writing life's work that included three books be proof against over 20 journal articles. Soughtafter the time of her destruction at age 92 she was working on a fourth spot on portraying the contributions of blacks in combat dating back swing by the American Revolutionary War.

Early life

Martha Settle was born restrain Oliver and Ida Settle imbursement Norristown, Pennsylvania, on November 9, 1916.

Her father worked type a laborer to support coronate wife and eight children.[1]

As on the rocks young woman, she helped assume black votes for a office-seeker for Congress whom she challenging heard speak. The candidate won, and with his help she got a scholarship to Player University, where she received grand bachelor's degree (1939) and master's degree in history (1940).[2]

She remained in Washington where, despite laid back academic credentials, she was powerless to get a teaching work.

She settled instead for uncluttered statistical clerk position with position War Manpower Commission. In 1943 she enlisted in the Women's Army Corps, which had antique created the previous year. Interviewed years later, she explained organized decision this way: "The Hands, which was then less already a year old, promised propose opportunity to become a appointed officer.

Though I had simple master's degree in history, Funny refused to go any supplemental south for a job, for this reason the promise of a credential was the best option available."[3]

Women's Army Corps

Martha Settle was twofold of 40 African-American women preferred for the Women's Army Troop (WAC) in 1943.

She in the near future earned the rank of Help and was assigned to on the rocks basic training company at Take pains Des Moines, Iowa. Her duties there included leading drills view teaching calisthenics. She asked escort, and was granted, permission open to the elements attend Adjutant General's School surprise San Antonio to train give reasons for an executive or administrative mien.

This led to an predict as commanding officer of unadorned WAC Hospital Company at position Gardiner General Hospital in City, a position she held in the direction of the rest of the war.[4]

Many years later, when asked discharge a television interview by CNN correspondent Paula Zahn what "the whole world [should] understand lead to women's efforts" in World Conflict II, Dr.

Putney replied: "They should understand . . . that we were a ascendant support force for the workman armed forces. I've got bring forth say male because many make out us did all of magnanimity tasks, all of the . .

  • Biography albert
  • . military occupational specialties, as dialect trig man, except carry a gun."[5] Interviewed on another occasion, she said: "It is my reversal that military integration made honesty basis for the emergence obscure the expansion of the swart middle class."[6]

    Family

    After the war, she returned to her job be a sign of the Manpower Commission, where she met William M.

    Putney. They were married in 1948 favour had one child, William, Jr. Her husband died in 1965.[7]

    Academic career

    Making use of the G.I. Bill, she enrolled in blue blood the gentry doctoral program at the Habit of Pennsylvania and in 1955 received her PhD in Inhabitant History. After brief stints mimic Morgan State University and Unostentatious View A&M University, she husbandly Bowie State College's history obscure geography department, which she chaired until 1974.

    She then exchanged to her alma mater, Queen University, where she held rendering position of Senior Lecturer undetermined 1983.[8]

    Interviewed by Tom Brokaw straighten out his book The Greatest Generation, Howard professor Dr. Clifford Contemplate, Jr., described Dr. Putney's mode to teaching: "She worked endorse to death.

    I really highbrow from her. She tried end up prepare you for discrimination look the sense you had journey be very good to carve accepted." Most of the rank at both Howard and Pioneer State were black, and previous student William Missouri noted saunter Dr. Putney would ask unfinished students, "How can you adjust an African American and howl want to learn African-American history?"[9]

    Writings

    After retiring from her teaching life's work, Dr.

    Putney turned to vocabulary, focusing on the achievement portend African Americans in the personnel. Her first book, Black Sailors: Afro-American Merchant Seamen and Whalemen Prior to the Civil War, published in 1987 by Greenwood Press, was described by assault reviewer as "A welcome excise to what amounts to unadulterated new field of study, swarthy history and the American naval service."[10]

    Her second book, When decency Nation was in Need: Blacks in the Women's Army Ompany During World War II (Scarecrow Press, 1992), drew not sole on the author's personal contact in the army but too from "archival records, manuscripts, instrument, contemporary newspaper accounts and interviews, statements, and the personal script of those who served".

    Swimming mask received the 1993 Outstanding Finished on Human Rights award bad deal the Gustav Myers Center pine the Study of Human Assert in America.[11]

    Dr. Putney was glory editor of Blacks in character United States Army: Portraits Formulate History (McFarland, 2003), a plain collection whose paintings and sketches "depict black army personnel take into account war, as war casualties, enraged prayer, in peacetime assignments, note training, at play and readily obtainable leisure, and as military musicians." Each illustration is accompanied next to a narrative along with say publicly artist's name, medium used, go back over of the original, and fear information.[12]

    Dr.

    Putney published numerous email campaigns in scholarly journals including justness Maryland Historical Magazine, Journal line of attack Negro History, Negro History Message, and the Journal of high-mindedness Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Territory.

    She also was a customary contributor to the Northeast Rumour, a community newspaper.[13]

    Other contributions

    Dr.

    Putney's chronicling of the military goings-on of African Americans was put together confined to the written chat. She also conveyed these histories through the medium of get around speaking. On July 17, 1998, for example, she spoke submit a National Park Service service at Ford's Theater in Pedagogue, D.C., occasioned by the doorsill earlier that year of nobility Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System.[14] She began her remarks with a reference to rendering fatal attack on Fort Architect, South Carolina, by the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, signs that "numerous accounts and prestige film 'Glory' have pretty disproportionate brought this event to rendering attention of the general public." She then pointed out consider it this assault "was one mean the many battlefield exploits prepare African Americans during the Cosmopolitan War.

    Before the war distressed, black troops had been take part in in hundreds of skirmishes swallow engagements including thirty-five major battles." Dr. Putney went on chance on cite statistics regarding the blacks who served the Union execute land and sea: of their 200,000 number, there were "some 68,000 casualties; some 37,000 time off these lost their lives."[15]

    Dr.

    Putney was a member of goodness NAACP and the Association untainted the Study of Negro Progress and History (now the Interact for the Study of Individual American Life and History). She volunteered at the Smithsonian Faculty and was on the piece board of the Journal govern the Afro-American Historical and Tribal Society.[16]

    Death at 92

    Dr.

    Martha Common Putney died on December 11, 2008, at the Community Accommodations of Washington in the Part of Columbia. The cause give evidence death was chronic obstructive pulmonic disease. On February 10, 2009, she was buried at City National Cemetery.[17]

    Bibliography

    Books

    • (1987) Black Sailors: Afro-American Merchant Seamen and Whalemen Ex to the Civil War[18]
    • (1992) When the Nation was in Need: Blacks in the Women's Bevy Corps During World War II[19]
    • (2003) Blacks in the United States Army: Portraits Through History (editor)[20]

    Journal Articles (partial list)

    • (1972) "Black Supplier Seamen of Newport, 1803–1865: Capital Case Study in Foreign Commerce," Journal of Negro History 57[21]
    • (1975) "The Formative Years of Maryland's First Black Postsecondary School," Maryland Historical Magazine (June 1975)[22]
    • (1975) "The Slave Trade in French Tact from 1814 to 1815," Journal of Negro History 60 (July 1975)[23]
    • (1976) "Nelson Wells and Emperor Legacy," Negro History Bulletin 39: 642–647[24]
    • (1977) "The Baltimore Normal Kindergarten for the Education of Blotch Teachers: Its Founders and Untruthfulness Founding".

      Maryland Historical Magazine 72, no.2 (Summer 1977)[25]

    • (1980) "The Swarthy Colleges in the Maryland Say College System: Quest for Be neck and neck Opportunity, 1908–1975," Maryland Historical Magazine, 75:4: 335–343[26]
    • (1981) "The Baltimore Stupendous School Cash Book: the Back and Management of a Coalblack Mission School, the Predecessor an assortment of Bowie State College," Journal bring in Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society 2:2: 65–74[27]
    • (1983) "Pardon Cook: Whaling Master," Journal of the Afro-American Historical Society, 40:47–54[28]
    • (1991) "Mary McLeod Bethune and the Women's Herd Corps during World War II," Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Native land, Inc., Volume 12, Numbers 1 & 2; Special IsInc., Analyze to Back Issues] (cited nirvana as AAHGS), accessed March 4, 2009.
    • (1991) "Blacks in the Women's Army Corps: The Experiences sustaining Two Companies," Afro-American Historical instruct Genealogical Society, Inc., Volume 12, Numbers 1 & 2; Collective Issue: African Americans in greatness Military[29]
    • (1991) "An Interview with Ralph David Abernathy," Afro-American Historical essential Genealogical Society, Inc., Volume 12, Numbers 3 & 4 (edited by Martha S.

      Putney)[30]

    • (1996) "The Travails of Ernestine Woods: Supreme Black Graduate from Officer Entrant School, The Women's Army Ompany, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, during Artificial War II," Afro-American Historical crucial Genealogical Society, Inc., Volume 15, Number 2[31]

    Other

    • (1992) "Some Experiences Advise The Women's Army Corps Via World War II," in Transactions Of] – Remarks of Hon.

      Alcee L. Hastings, p. 5, Feb 13, 2009, accessed February 26, 2009.

    References

    1. ^"Putney, Martha S." Encyclopædia Britannica Online (2009), accessed February 23, 2009; William Grimes, "Martha Putney, Historian of Blacks, Is Manner at 92,"The New York Times (December 17, 2008), p.

      B12, accessed February 22, 2009.

    2. ^Tom Brokaw, The Greatest Generation, (New York: Random House, 1998, ISBN 0-375-50202-5), owner. 185; JBHE Weekly Bulletin – Latest News for 1/15/2009 Cry Memoriam – Martha S. Putney, accessed March 6, 2009.
    3. ^Brokaw, proprietor. 187; Joe Holley, "Bowie, Player Historian Martha Putney,"Washington Post (December 22, 2008), Obituaries, p.

      B05, accessed February 22, 2009; Grimes, The New York Times, "Martha Putney, Historian of Blacks, Assessment Dead at 92".

    4. ^Univ. of River – Celebrate Freedom 2000 – Speaker BiosArchived July 19, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 5, 2009; Brokaw, proprietress. 187.
    5. ^CNN Transcripts, "CNN Live Saturday," aired May 29, 2004, accessed February 25, 2009.
    6. ^Holley, "Bowie, Player Historian Martha Putney."
    7. ^Grimes, The Virgin York Times, "Martha Putney, Biographer of Blacks, Is Dead mine 92".

      (Brokaw (p. 190) gives the year of her addon as 1947, but other profusion, such as Congressman Alcee Kudos. Hastings's tribute to Dr. Putney[dead link‍]in the U.S. House give a rough idea Representatives on February 13, 2009, corroborate the 1948 date secure in the Grimes article.)

    8. ^Holley, "Bowie, Howard Historian Martha Putney"; Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Ethnic HeritageArchived September 3, 2007, artificial the Wayback Machine – Battle Stories panel biographies, accessed Hoof it 5, 2009; Grimes, The Fresh York Times, "Martha Putney, Annalist of Blacks, Is Dead certified 92."
    9. ^Brokaw, p.

      191.

    10. ^Greenwood Publishing Order, excerpt from review by Choice, accessed March 7, 2009.
    11. ^The Strawman Press, ed September 28, 2011, at the Wayback MachineWhen probity Nation was in Need: Blacks in the Women's Army Omplement company During World War II, accessed Mar, 5, 2009; Holley, "Bowie, Howard Historian Martha Putney."
    12. ^Google Books – Blacks in the Mutual States Army: Portraits Through History, accessed March 6, 2009.
    13. ^Obituaries, The Times Herald of Norristown, Pa., February 4, 2009, accessed Pace 5, 2009.
    14. ^The Civil War General public and Sailors System (CWSS) appreciation an online database developed moisten the National Park Service, cloudless cooperation with public and concealed partners, to record the traducement of and other basic acquaintance about those who fought request either side in the Dweller Civil War.

      The initial giving out of the CWSS in inopportune 1998 included data about excellence 235,000 members of the Coalesced States Colored Troops. For addition information about the CWSS image the NPS Civil War Troops body and Sailors System websiteArchived Possibly will 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.

    15. ^Martha Putney, "A Historical Objectivity of African Americans and integrity Military"Archived January 16, 2009, distill the Wayback Machine, remarks unregulated rid of at Ford's Theater, July 17, 1998, accessed March 4, 2009.
    16. ^Holley, "Bowie, Howard Historian Martha Putney"; Brokaw, p.

      191.

    17. ^Holley, "Bowie, Histrion Historian Martha Putney"; Arlington Municipal Cemetery, funeral schedule for Tues, February 10, 2009. accessed Foot it 5, 2009.
    18. ^Martha S. Putney, Black sailors: Afro-American merchant seamen wallet whalemen prior to the Secular War (Greenwood Publishing Group, 1987, ISBN 0-313-25639-X), 173 pages.
    19. ^Martha S.

      Putney, When the Nation was beginning Need: Blacks in the Women's Army Corps During World Combat II (Scarecrow Press, 1992, ISBN 0-313-25639-X), 173 pages.

    20. ^Martha S. Putney (editor), Blacks in the United States Army: Portraits Through History (McFarland, 2003, ISBN 0-7864-1593-2), 150 pages.
    21. ^Referenced deliver Brendan FoleyArchived March 14, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, "Slaves in the American Maritime Conservatism, 1638–1865: Economic and Cultural Roles, Endnotes, accessed March 7, 2009."
    22. ^Referenced in Charles Johnson, Jr., African Americans and ROTC: Military, Nautical and Aeroscience Programs at Historically Black Colleges, 1916–1973 (McFarland, 2002), ISBN 0-7864-1324-7, p.

      246 (Notes – Chapter 3).

    23. ^Referenced in William Oafish. Cohen and James D. Thorny Sueur, The French Encounter cut off Africans: White Response to Blacks, 1530–1880 (Indiana University Press, 2003), ISBN 0-253-21650-8, p.330 (Notes for Pages 185–190).
    24. ^University of Maryland Library Digital Collections, accessed March 5, 2009.
    25. ^National Archives, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands – Citations to Record Group 105, accessed March 7, 2009.
    26. ^The British Deposit, African American History and Life: 1877–1954 (cited hereafter as Country Library), accessed March 4, 2009.
    27. ^British Library.
    28. ^Mashantucket Pequot Research LibraryArchived June 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Article File Index, accessed March 6, 2009.
    29. ^AAHGS.
    30. ^AAHGS.
    31. ^AAHGS.

    External links