Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command (NMRLC) Williamsburg, VA, and entities in its logistics enterprise including NMRLC Detachment Fort Detrick, MD, NMRLC Detachment Kaiserslautern, Germany, and NMRLC Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) Yorktown, VA, acknowledged Black History Month Feb. 27.

Capt. Matthew Marcinkiewicz, MSC, USN, NMRLC’s commanding officer, introduced the special guest speaker from the Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM), Matthew Headrick.

It is one of 10 Navy museums operated by the Naval History & Heritage Command. It celebrates the long history of the U.S. Navy in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia and is co-located with Nauticus in downtown Norfolk, VA.

And their Black History Month presentation was awesome.

Entitled “African Americans in the U.S. Navy,” Headrick thoroughly and methodically recapped a portion of the African America military experience dating back to the Revolutionary War from 1775-1783. He described their involvement in the American Civil War from 1861-1865 and discussed Navy principles during World War I from 1914-1918.

Not only did audience members learn about African Americans’ involvement in World War II from 1941-1945, but Headrick also talked about specific individuals like John Henry Turpin, the Navy’s first African American chief petty officer, and Messman Doris ‘Dorie’ Miller, the first African American Sailor to receive the Navy Cross for shooting down two Japanese aircraft during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

The interactive portion of the presentation given by HRNM education specialist added a sense of involvement most don’t experience during diversity committee events.

“This was a unique experience and I have to say probably one of the best the command has ever hosted,” said Chief Hospital Corpsman Nettie Gordon, NMRLC’s Design Chief. “Most of the previous presentations were distributed via email and contained a self-guided PowerPoint presentation. So, this was unique, and the command enjoyed it,” she said.



Before the presentation began, Headrick handed out personality profile cards about several of the people in the presentation. When that individual was on the screen, Headrick asked who can tell us about this person. The audience member with the corresponding profile card would then read the information on the card. After they read the profile, Headrick asked, “Did anything stand out for you from what you read?” Each participant was able to share his or her unique perspective on the historical person being discussed.

The interactive portion of the presentation ensured that everyone in attendance both in person and via Microsoft Teams, were able to get a better sense of what Black Sailors endured during their time in service to the United States while in the Navy.

The HRNM played an important role this year in helping Sailors understand the plight of African American Sailors who served before them and identified some of the challenges they still face today. However, the Navy has made consistent strides to address ethnic and diversity challenges. It continues to meet and exceed those expectations.

Presentations like the one given by the HRNM, contribute to the Navy’s overall goal of educating today’s Sailors of past achievements and those who earned them.

NMRLC Williamsburg is responsible for global expeditionary medical logistics resources and supporting Combatant Commands' wartime contingency requirements.