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Martha Settle Putney (1916-2008)

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Martha Settle Putney was one of the first Black women to join the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. After the war, Putney became a historian and author who notably focused on the contributions of African-Americans in the military.

Putney was born Martha Settle on November 9, 1916 in Norristown, Pa. After working as a political campaigner as a young girl, she won a scholarship to Howard University from the candidate she helped get elected. Putney was a focused student, earning her bachelor’s degree in history in 1939 and a master’s in the same discipline the following year.

While she originally wanted to become a teacher, Putney couldn’t find employment because of her race. Instead, she took a job with the federal government’s War Man power Commission. Putney toiled in the lowly job for some years before hearing about the opportunity to join the Women's Army Corps in 1943.  She was one of the first Black women selected for the position with newly formed Corps.

While in the Corps, Putney dealt with various instances of racism, including a time when German prisoners of war were allowed into the Fort Des Moines Officers Club and while Blacks were barred regardless of their rank. Also Black members of the Corps could only use the base swimming pool on the Fort Des Moines grounds on Friday, after which the pool would be cleaned before Saturday's white only use. After leaving the Corps in 1946, Putney, then a first lieutenant, returned to her government job.

Using the G.I. Bill, Putney earned her Ph. D. in European History from the University of Pennsylvania in 1955.  This would begin a long academic career that led to teaching stops at Morgan State University, Prairie View A&M University, Bowie State University and Howard University. Martha Putney retired from teaching in 1983. Putney has authored a number of journals and three books, including 2003’s "Blacks In The United States Army: Portraits Through History."

Martha Settle Putney died on December 11, 2008, in Washington D.C., at the age of of 92.

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