« PreviousNext »
Anna Mac Clarke (1919 - 1944) - A native of Lawrenceburg and graduate of Kentucky State University, Anna Mac Clarke was the first black woman in Kentucky to enlist in the military during WWII. She was a member of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp (WAAC). Her educational and athletic backgrounds were ideally suited for Anna Mac Clarke to enter WAAC Officer Candidate School. She attended officer training at the segregated Fort Des Moines military base. In February 1943, she was reassigned as Third Officer and became the first black WAAC assigned to command an all-white platoon. While stationed at Douglas Air Field in Arizona, she led the fight to desegregate the base theater. Shortly after, Anna Mac Clarke died of a ruptured appendix at the base hospital in 1944. A historical maker to honor Anna Mac Clarke, was dedicated to the Lawrenceburg courthouse in 1997. A commemorative postage stamp is planned in her honor.
56 Photos in Album
Subscribe