Montford Point Marine MemorialThe Montford Point Marines Memorial is dedicated to the legacy of nearly 20,000 African-Americans who served in the Marine Corps from 1942 - 1949, but trained in a segregated training facility know as Montford Point Camp, Jacksonville, NC. The memorial tells the story through architecture and sculpture. The memorial is located within the LeJeune Memorial Gardens in Jacksonville, NC. |
MEMORIAL TIMELINE |
Ground Breaking
| Dedication Ceremony
| Gifting Ceremony
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On February 27, 2015, a ground breaking ceremony marked the start of construction of the monument in Memorial Gardens | On July 29, 2016, the Dedication Ceremony held on the memorial marked the completion of Phase I of the memorial. The NMPMA® announced during the convention held that year that their fundraising goal of $1.8M were met with the assistance of the State of North Carolina. | On July 25, 2018, a gifting ceremony, which marked the completion of the memorial, formally transferred the memorial from the NMPMA® to the Department of the Navy. Lt.Gen. Robert F. Hedelund, Commending General, II Marine Expeditionary Force participated in the ceremony. |
MEMORIAL ELEMENTS |
Concentric Circles
| Three concentric circle patterns represent the ripples of influence that changes a nation. These ripples were caused by the Montford Point Marines, the U.S. Marine Corps and the American public. |
The M1A1-90 mm Anti-Aircraft Gun, was the standard anti-aircraft artillery for defense battalions in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII and it is a weapon most associated with the Montford Point Marines. | Artillery Weapon
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Monument Sculpture
| The front of the pedestal includes the following: They Arrived… In 1942, after President Franklin D Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 prohibiting racial discrimination in the National Defense industry. They Served… In the bloody wars of WWII, Korean and Vietnam. They Lived… As sterling examples of integrity and service, in spite of the racial injustices they endured. On the back side of the pedestal is the theaters of war where the Montford Point Marines served during WWII. The raised bronze statue represents the Montford Point Marines; the angle of incline represents the uphill struggle for equality they overcame. The Marine is moving forward, armed with a rifle…his ammo can is behind him signifying the Montford Point Marines’ transition to infantry men from their assigned duties as ammunition suppliers and other support roles. |
The Pillar of Collective Recognition stands at the nexus of the three concentric circles that comprise the Montford Point Marine Memorial. It honors Montford Pointers, the US Marine Corps and society during this time, for their unending drive to overcome equality. | Pillar
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Wall of Stars
| A wall of stars includes approximately 20,000 gold stars representing the number of Montford Point Marines that served during WWII. The absence of names on the wall is symbolic of the fact that no complete roster of Montford Point Marines has ever been located. |
NMPMA® Inc is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. P.O. Box 40477 Mobile, AL 36640.
Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this activity.