Gerry Butler, Author at • Page 2 of 2

Independent Historian

Gerry Butler has a History Degree from the University of Washington specializing in Military History. Though his current career is in technology and Healthcare, his passions will always be researching history, traveling to major historical sites of the world, and spending as much time as possible with his wife (Karen) and children (Jack and Lily).

Martin Robison Delany (1812-1885)

Martin Robison Delany was an African American abolitionist, the first African American Field Officer in the U.S Army, and one of the earliest African Americans to encourage a return to Africa. Delany was born in Charles Town, Virginia (now West Virginia) to a slave father … Read MoreMartin Robison Delany (1812-1885)

Montford Point Marines (1942-1949)

With the beginning of World War II African Americans would get their chance to be in “the toughest outfit going,” the previously all-white Marine Corps. The first recruits reported to Montford Point, a small section of land on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina on August 26, 1942. By October, only 600 recruits had … Read MoreMontford Point Marines (1942-1949)

Wesley Brown (1927-2012)

Wesley Brown earned distinction in 1949 as the first African American to graduate from the United States Naval Academy. Wesley Brown grew up in Washington, D.C. and attended Dunbar High School. A “voracious reader,” Brown joined the Association for the Study of Negro Life and … Read MoreWesley Brown (1927-2012)

Charles Young (1864-1922)

Colonel Charles Young enjoyed a decorated military career after his graduation from West Point Military Academy in 1889. A Buffalo Soldier serving with the 9th and 10th Cavalry and the 25th Infantry, Young eventually became the first African American to achieve the rank of colonel … Read MoreCharles Young (1864-1922)

Lee Elder (1934-2021)

Lee Elder, a member of the United Golfers Association (UGA), Professional Golfers Association (PGA), and the PGA Senior Tour, was the first African American to break the color barrier and play in the Masters Golf Tournament. Lee Elder was born in 1934 in Dallas, Texas. … Read MoreLee Elder (1934-2021)

Jerry Butler (1939- )

Jerry Butler was born to sharecropping farmers in Sunflower, Mississippi, but at the age of three his family joined the Great Migration and moved to Chicago, Illinois (to an area now known as the Cabrini-Green Housing Projects). His initial introduction to music began as a … Read MoreJerry Butler (1939- )

Granville T. Woods (1856-1910)

Granville T. Woods was a prominent inventor and electrical engineer who developed inventions that were awarded 27 patents by the U.S. Patent Office between 1884 and 1903. Because of his significant electrical inventions he is known as the “Black Edison.” Woods was born on April … Read MoreGranville T. Woods (1856-1910)