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This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held in the Wilson Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in our reading room, and not digitally available through the World Wide Web. See the Duplication Policy section for more information.
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Collection Overview
| Size | 1 items |
| Abstract | The USO (United Service Organizations) is a nonprofit organization, formed as a response to a 1941 request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt that private organizations handle the on-leave recreation of the armed forces. Throughout World War II, USO clubs served as a "home away from home" for American G.I.s, and as an important focal point for community involvement in the war effort. The Newberry Street USO in Jacksonville, N.C., was established on 23 April 1942 and served the first African American Marines. The visitor book is a loose leaf binder with a hand-drawn cover labeled "What Do You Think About Our USO Club? Property of the Newberry Street USO Jacksonville, N.C., Mr. J.W. Joyner, Director." There are approximately 80 pages of messages and sketches, the majority of which date from 1945 to 1946 and are notes of thanks and encouragement to the USO's director, J. W. Joyner, and his staff. All messages but one are hand written. Most of messages are from Marines, although there are also a few from Marines' family members and one typed message from the wife of the relief director of the national USO; many include rank and current or future postal addresses and some mention what the men hoped to do after leaving the service. |
| Creator | United Service Organizations (U.S). Service Club (Jacksonville, N.C.) |
| Curatorial Unit | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection. |
| Language | English |
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Information For Users
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Processing Information
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Subject Headings
The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.
Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.
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Historical Information
The USO (United Service Organizations) is a nonprofit organization, formed in 1942 by various civilian organizations in response to a 1941 request from President Franklin D. Roosevelt that private organizations handle the on-leave recreation of the armed forces. Throughout World War II, USO clubs served as a "home away from home" for American G.I.s. They also served as an important focal point for community involvement in the war effort. The Newberry Street USO in Jacksonville, N.C., served the first African American Marines in the United States; the Newberry Club was established 23 April 1942. Through a presidential directive in 1942, Roosevelt authorized African Americans to enter the United States Marine Corps for the first time. However, instead of being integrated into the traditional Marine camps, African American Marines were segregated to Montford Point, a facility at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. Between 1942 and 1947 approximately 20,000 African American soldiers trained at Montford Point.
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Scope and Content
The United Service Organizations (U.S.) Service Club visitor book from the Newberry Street USO in Jacksonville, N.C., is a loose leaf binder with a hand-drawn cover labeled "What Do You Think About Our USO Club? Property of the Newberry Street USO Jacksonville, N.C., Mr. J.W. Joyner, Director." There are approximately 80 pages of messages and sketches, the majority of which date from 1945 to 1946 and are notes of thanks and encouragement to the USO's director, J. W. Joyner, and his staff. All messages but one are hand written. Most of messages are from Marines, although there are also a few from Marines' family members and one typed message from the wife of the relief director of the national USO; many include rank and current or future postal addresses and some mention what the men hoped to do after leaving the service.
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