First Black Captain of WWII Ship: Hugh Mulzac

A woman from Trinidad once told me that she could never stand for the discrimination that Blacks in the United States had to endure. A Jamaican family friend long ago insisted that she would never sit in the back of a bus, like Negros once had to because of Jim Crow laws. To the woman from Trinidad I gave her a brief history lesson and patiently explained to her what would happen to her if she resisted. She then understood.

 Blacks from other countries often experience a major culture shock upon coming to America. They hail from lands where Blacks are the majority and hold political and social power. This is not to say that Non-American Blacks did not experience discrimination, because many of these countries were colonized by Europeans at one time. But coming to America, from either Africa or places of the African diaspora, one can be in for a rude awakening.

One such person who was subjected to a rude awakening was Hugh Mulzac. He holds the distinction of being the first Black to be captain of a ship during World War II. Stipulated Mulzac:



 "Under no circumstances will I command a Jim Crow vessel."

As you may recall, the Merchant Marines during times of war or national emergency acts as an auxiliary to the military during times of war or national emergency. Hugh Mulzac commanded the Booker T. Washington, one of 18 ships named after prominent African Americans. See Ships named After Famous Black People in WWII: Liberty Ships.

Mulzac was born in the  British West Indies (Union Island, St. Vincent and Grenadines) in 1886. He worked on the sea after high school, traveling on British vessels. The sailor attended Nautical School in Swansea, Wales, where he earned a mate's second in command license. During World War I he sailed as a ship's officer.

Usmm.org

Caribbean-born Mulzac was confronted with the "barbarous customs of our northern neighbor", meaning the United States. He attempted to attend a North Carolina White church while on port of call from a Norwegian ship. Mulzac was refused entry because of his color. This incident became his first exposure to the stinging racism of America's Jim Crow South.

Mulzac later immigrated to the United States in 1918 and became a citizen.  In 1920 he scored 100 percent on the US shipmaster exam. However, there was no shipmaster assignment. The belief system of the day made it difficult for a Black person to captain a ship. Being a cook or cleaning were the few options for a Negro sailor.  In the meantime, he became an expert in food service.

wikipedia.org
Captain Hugh Mulzac with his crew. (Mulzac is fourth from the left)

Hugh Mulzac later served as a mate on the SS Yarmouth, a ship of Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey's Black Starline, in 1920. He became displeased with the operations and resigned; the ambitious line went out of business in 1922.  Years would go by, and Mulzac held on to his dream of being a captain of a ship. He was a founding member of the National Maritime Union in 1937. A good two decades would pass until finally Mulzac was offered his plum assignment:  Captain of the Booker T. Washington during World War II. Mulzac was 56 years old.

Everything I ever stood for, fought for, dreamed of, came into focus that day. The concrete evidence of achievement gives one's striving for legitimacy, proves that the ambitions were alive, the struggle worthwhile. Being prevented for those twenty-four years from doing the work for which I was trained had robbed life of its most essential meaning. Now at least I could use my training and capabilities fully. It was like being born anew."

Hugh Mulzac had a fully integrated crew representing 18 different nationalities. He was originally assigned an all Black crew, which he refused. Protests resulted in an integrated crew. The Booker T. Washington made over 22 round trip voyages in five years. Under Mulzac the vessel carried 18,000 troops and cargo to Europe and the Pacific. He braved extremely dangerous waters. The Merchant Marines suffered a high ratio of casualty losses compared to the various branches of the military.

German submarines were sinking Merchants Marine ships at a record clip; the Booker T. Washington never lost a crewman to enemy fire. This was due largely to the navigational talents of its submarine dodging captain.

Unlike surviving Montford Marines who are in their seventies-nineties, Hugh Mulzac received limited glory. After the Allied victory he was unable to command a ship. He filled a lawsuit against the ship operators in 1948 and lost. He was also blacklisted for being a member of the labor movement at the height of McCarthyism, where groups associated with Communism were considered Un-American. Mulzac ran for NY Controllers Office and was defeated. He made his living for the next two decades in the steward's department on several shipping lines.

Usmm.org
Hugh Mulzac (1886-1971)

Hugh Mulzac did have success as a self taught painter, however. His works were on display at the Countee Cullen Library, New York City, in the year 1958. Two years later, his license and seaman's papers were finally restored by a federal court.  The former captain was able to work again at age seventy-four--as a night mate. Mulzac died before Merchant Marines would win the right to receive Veteran's benefits.

Hugh Mulzac successfully helped America defeat the Axis Powers by providing his impeccable navigational skills. He made history as the first Black to command a WWII era ship, and repeatedly made the perilous journey of crossing German submarined infested oceans. He ultimately never gave up his dreams of commanding an integrated ship.

aaregistry.org
Crew of the Booker T. Washington
with mascot dog.

Sources:
maraad.dot.gov
voyagetodiscovery.org
wikipedia.org
http://hubpages.com/hub/Hugh-Mulzac-First-Black-Captain-of-a-WW2-Liberty-Ship
books.google.Hidden History: Profiles of Black Americans

Notes:

African Diaspora- Countries throughout the world where people of African descent dispersed.

Marcus Garvey (1887-1940)-Jamaican political leader, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur.

McCarthyism-Named after Senator Joseph McCarthy (1908-1957). 1950s era hunt for people believed to be Communist and often without evidence.

Port of Call-  A brief harbor stop where passengers are discharged.

USNS Montford Point

The United States Naval Ship Montford Point was christened by Jackie Bolden, wife of retired Marine Major Charles Bolden and the current administrator of NASA in San Diego, California on March 2, 2013.

It was fitting that the christening took place in San Diego, because San Diego is the location that the 51st Battalion, America's first all Black combat division, was deployed. USNS Montford Point is the Navy's first mobile landing platform (MLP1), and some thirty Montford Point Marines were invited for this special event. As a surviving member of the 51st, my father has vivid memories of California.

Artistic rendering of USNS Montford Point (MP1)
www.sidinfo.com

                                                                 

The "Pier at Sea" costs $500 million and was manufactured by General Dynamics. It is the first of three landing platforms.  Present at the ceremony was Montford Point Marine Ed Pfizer of New Orleans, who stated in the Coronado Patch, " I was one of the first ones to sign up. We fought two wars; we fought Jim Crow and we fought the Japanese."

The USNS Montford Point will serve as a 785 foot mobile pier, reducing American Forces' dependency on foreign ports. It also:


--Provides 25,00 square feet space to house vehicles and equipment.
-- Holds 380,000 gallons of fuel

USNS Montford Point
source:usnavy

                                                               


Jacksonville, North Carolina is the site of Montord Point, Camp Lejeune. Montford Point was the Boot Camp for African American Marine Recruits. It is also the same location that my father was demoted from Private First Class for being out of uniform. Dad was wearing a field jacket instead of his official coat in the town of of Jacksonville, North Carolina.  Dad reports being "busted down" to Private. It took him an entire year to earn Private First Class again. His honorable discharge papers reads that he earned the rank of "Corporal".  He added, "I could of been a Sergeant!"

Source: militaryfactory.com/ranks
Enlisted Marine Rankings 

Dad also discussed his stint riding in an a Jeep with the Navy Shore Patrol. The SPs did not take kindly to Negro Marines. So the Navy, which the Marines falls under, decided to have Montford Point Marines patrol  the area with the SPs. Dad stated that an unruly drunk white soldier became violent and called him the "N" word.  The soldier was subdued by Dad striking him with the butt of his firearm. Luckily, no one was injured and my Dad was not punished. Which reminds me of the belief that sometimes the enemy is not far away, but resides in close proximity...

                                                                           

 From militaryfactory.com:

"The US Marines dates back to 1775 when the first battalions of men were formed under the command of Samuel Nicholas (1744-1790). They assault enemy positions through amphibious means."

Also:

"Their extensive service in the Pacific Theater during World War II Solidified their modern image as one of the best and toughest group of soldiers anywhere in the world."

Congratulations to all Montford Point Marines who were very brave, and now have a state of art vessel named on their behalf. Like their Congressional Medal of Honor, it is a distinction well deserved.

Jim Crow and Segregation

                                                                 Source: socialstudiesforkids.com



Can you imagine living your entire adult life making a sacrifice for your country and not even being acknowledged? Some people get upset when they hold open the door for someone and they don't even get a thank you. Or when driving, a driver might let another car enter in front of them in traffic. Where is the courtesy wave, you might ask? The door and driving incidents are slights that one can basically brush off. But putting your human life on the line is pretty serious. The thousands of African American who enlisted in the Marines during the 1940's did so willingly, and my father insisted that he wanted to serve as a soldier in combat.

What is also interesting to note is that the United States had Jim Crow Laws, which were laws that prohibited Blacks from living in certain neighborhoods, to work in certain occupations, or to eat in restaurants. Segregation was the law of the land and water fountains, rest rooms, movie theaters, schools, buses, and trains insured that races were kept apart. Interracial marriages were illegal and a Negro could be arrested if they broke these laws. Jim Crow Laws were intense in the South, where slavery had a stronghold. The South was considered the area of the country below the Mason- Dixie in Maryland. Northern states, which did not allow slavery had discrimination as well, but the discrimination was less intense, covert and subtle.

When discussing Jim Crow with my students, many of them wondered why Blacks were treated so badly during these times. I would explain that in order to enslave someone, you had to make them feel inferior. You  had to make sure that their living conditions were substandard, and not allow them to read or congregate. Families were separated. Rules were established to make Negros "know their place". Tragically, Negros were beaten if they did not obey their slave masters.

The Civil War (1861-1865) was fought to preserve the country, because Southern states seceded over the issue of slavery. Enslaved Africans provided free labor for wealthy Southern plantation owners. Blacks worked long hours picking cotton and farming, creating a thriving economy. Enslaved Africans often tried to escape slavery by fleeing to the North. Sophisticated networks and codes were enabled to outsmart slave owners and slave catchers. Both Northern Blacks and Whites participated in the Abolitionist Movement, a movement that included women to officially end slavery. Once the Civil War ended and slaves were free, the same Segregation Laws persisted. Montford Point Marines were/are descendants of enslaved Africans. Such were the conditions that many of Montford Point Marines grew up in: discrimination and Jim Crow.

                                                           " Separate But Not Equal"                      
                                                               Source: worldfamousphotos.com

But despite this, Montford Point Marines signed up to be a recruits. They signed up and served their country even though they were treated like second class citizens. The Montford Point Marines were some of the  brightest African American men selected.  According to my dad, he loved his dress blue Marine Uniform. He was proud to wear it when he returned to Florida, but it was challenging to wear the heavy wool jacket in the humid weather!  He wore it during a visit  home in July, parading his uniform up and down Second Avenue in Daytona.