ch
an explanation was just what Congressman Powell was demanding in
January 1958 when he asked why black marines were excluded from
assignments to the American Embassy in Paris.[18-23]

[Footnote 18-22: Ltr, Maj Gen R. O. Bare to CO, 1st
Mar Div, 14 Jul 55; Ltr, Dir of Pers to CG, 1st Mar
Div (ca. 10 Dec 56). The quotation is from Ltr, CO,
Marine Barracks, NAD, Hawthorne, Nev., to Dir of
Pers, 15 Dec 62.]

[Footnote 18-23: Ltr, Powell to SecDef, 23 Jan 58. See
also unsigned Draft Ltr for the commandant's
signature to Powell, 12 Feb 58.]

Community attitudes toward Negroes in uniform had become a serious
matter in all the services by the late 1950's, and concern for the
welfare of black marines was repeatedly voiced by Marine commanders in
areas as far-flung as Nevada, Florida, and southern California.[18-24]
But even here there was reason to question the motives of some local
commanders, for during a lengthy discussion in the Personnel
Department some officials asserted that the available evidence
indicated no justification for restricting assignments. Anxiety over
assignments anywhere in the United States was unfounded, they claimed,
and offered in support statistics demonstrating the existence of a
substantial black community in all the duty areas from which Negroes
were unofficially excluded. The Assignment and Classification Branch
also pointed out that the corps had experienced no problems
in the case of the thirteen black marines then assigned to
inspector-instructor duty, including one in Mobile, Alabama. The
branch went on to discuss the possibility of assigning black marines
to recruiting duty. Since recruiters were assigned to areas where they
understood local attitudes and customs, some officials reasoned,
Negroes should be used to promote the corps among potential black
enlistees whose feelings and attitudes were not likely to be
understood by white recruiters.

[Footnote 18-24: See Ltrs, A. W. Gentleman, Hq MC Cold
Weather Tng Cen, Bridgeport, Calif., to Col
Hartley, 12 Nov 57; CO, MB, NAS, Jacksonville,
Fla., to Personnel Dept, 14 Dec 62; CO, MB, NAD,
Hawthorne, Nev., to same, 15 Dec 62.]

These matters were never considered officially by the Marine Corps
s