N.C. A&T Alumni Times

Photo Credit: Leoneda Inge, WUNC

Former Member to Serve as Grand Marshal for Homecoming Parade

The U.S. Navy B-1 Band was the first group of African American men to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II (1942-45) in non-servile ranks or positions. B-1 was a 45-piece band that comprised of 26 A&T College students, who were stationed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. During Memorial Day Weekend 2017, the surviving members were remembered in Chapel Hill with a historical marker for the 75th Anniversary.

According to the B-1 Band historical website, prior to the enlistment of the members, African Americans had served the U.S. Navy only as stewards or mess attendants. Although their service throughout the war was identified as a segregated unit, the establishment of the B-1 Band marked the first significant move towards integration of the U.S. Navy.

On Saturday, Oct. 7, one of the former members of the U.S. Navy B-1 Band, Calvin Morrow ’49 will serve as the grand marshal for the 2017 Homecoming Parade. During his time in the band, he was recruited while he was a senior at James B. Dudley High School. He played the French horn and served in the band from 1942-45.

When Morrow first joined the band, he was stationed at the pre-flight school located on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During that time, the members of the band could not live on the campus. To accommodate them, the town built a community center for the members to live and every day for two years they marched two miles playing their instruments. The band would go on to play in all parades, dances and military functions in Chapel Hill.

The members of the B-1 Band was informed that they would stay in the band for the duration of World War II. In 1943, the unit was deployed to Pearl Harbor after the bombing. The members lived in Pearl City, a segregated area for African American soldiers and they would play for all military activities for the next 18 months. In 1945, World War II ended and the members of the band returned home.

The majority of the 26 men from A&T College completed their degrees including Morrow, who completed his degree in 1949 in business administration and in 1952 received his master’s degree in education. After graduation, he worked as an educator in the technical institute at N.C. A&T State University, then eight years as an elementary school teacher and 19 years as a principal at five elementary schools. He retired in 1986 from Peeler Open Elementary School in Greensboro.

Currently, Morrow is 93 years old, living in Greensboro with his wife of 67 years, Gertrude, who is also an alumna of N.C. A&T and retired educator of 36 years.