A Salute to African-American Mariners
The Maritime Administration salutes African-Americans who served in wartime in the U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Maritime Service.
African-Americans served in every capacity aboard merchant ships, at a time when the United States Army and Navy employed policies of racial restriction and segregation. For example, at the beginning of World War II, African-Americans could serve only as messmen in the Navy.
To read more on the efforts of war time African-Americans in maritime service please visit the links below.
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The First African-American Shipmaster
The story of Captain Hugh Mulzac, one of the first African-Americans to serve as ship's officer, served during World War I and II, and was the first African-American to captain a ship, the Liberty Ship Booker T. Washington |
![Click to read the story of the First African-American Shipmaster. Click to read the story of the First African-American Shipmaster.](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509032251im_/http://marad.dot.gov/image_library/Thumbnails/k12_hugh_mulzac-tn.jpg) |
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![Click to read about a Landmark Liberty Ship - The Booker T. Washington Click to read about a Landmark Liberty Ship - The Booker T. Washington](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509032251im_/http://marad.dot.gov/image_library/Thumbnails/k12_capt_crew_of_booker_t_washington-tn.jpg) |
A Landmark Liberty Ship
The story of the first Liberty Ship to be named in honor of an African-American, the Booker T. Washington, captained by Hugh Mulzac. |
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![Click to read the story of William Tillman and the S.J. Waring Click to read the story of William Tillman and the S.J. Waring](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509032251im_/http://marad.dot.gov/image_library/Thumbnails/k12_attack_on_second_mate-tn.jpg) |
A Story of High Seas Heroism
The story of the S.J. Waring, a schooner that had been captured by the Confederates early in the Civil War but was re-taken by William Tillman, who led a small group of passengers in an assault on the small crew left on board. |
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Before They Were Famous
The stories of notable African-Americans who participated in this country's marine industry |
![Click to read about notable African-Americans who participated in this country's marine industry Click to read about notable African-Americans who participated in this country's marine industry](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090509032251im_/http://marad.dot.gov/image_library/Thumbnails/k12_booker_mascot-tn.gif) |
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— All photos are used courtesy of the U.S. War Shipping Commission, the Maritime Administration, —
— the National Archives and the U.S. Naval History & Heritage Command —