Martha Settle Putney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martha Settle Putney
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| Born | November 9, 1916 Norristown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Died | December 11, 2008 (aged 92) Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Occupation | Educator; historian |
| Spouse(s) | William M. Putney (1948–1965; his death); 1 child |
Martha Settle Putney (born November 9, 1916 – died December 11, 2008) was an amazing American educator and historian. She spent her life telling the stories of African Americans in the armed forces. She was one of the first black women to join the Women's Army Corps during World War II. After the war, she dedicated herself to finding and sharing the history of black Americans' military service.
After her time in the army, she worked for a short while before going back to school. She earned her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. Then, she had a great career teaching history. She taught at Bowie State College (now Bowie State University) and later at Howard University. After retiring from teaching, she became a writer. She wrote three books and over 20 articles. When she passed away at 92, she was working on another book. This book was about the contributions of black soldiers, going all the way back to the American Revolutionary War.
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Martha's Early Life
Martha Settle was born in Norristown, Pennsylvania on November 9, 1916. Her parents were Oliver and Ida Settle. Her father worked hard to support their family of eight children.
When she was young, Martha helped get black votes for a candidate running for Congress. The candidate won! With his help, Martha received a scholarship to Howard University. She earned her bachelor's degree in 1939 and her master's degree in history in 1940.
After college, she stayed in Washington, D.C. Even with her advanced degrees, she couldn't find a teaching job. So, she took a job as a clerk with the War Manpower Commission. In 1943, she decided to join the Women's Army Corps (WAC). The WAC had just started the year before. Years later, she explained her choice. She said the WAC offered a chance to become an officer. Since she couldn't find a good teaching job, becoming an officer seemed like the best option.
Serving in the Women's Army Corps
Martha Settle was one of 40 African-American women chosen for the Women's Army Corps in 1943. She quickly became a Lieutenant. She was sent to Fort Des Moines, Iowa, for basic training. There, she led drills and taught exercises. She asked to attend Adjutant General's School in San Antonio. This training would prepare her for an executive or administrative role.
After her training, she became the commanding officer of a WAC Hospital Company. This was at the Gardiner General Hospital in Chicago. She held this important position for the rest of World War II.
Years later, a CNN reporter asked Dr. Putney what the world should know about women's efforts in World War II. Dr. Putney replied that women were a "mighty support force" for the male soldiers. She said many women did the same jobs as men, except for carrying a gun. She also believed that military integration helped create and grow the black middle class.
Martha's Family Life
After the war, Martha went back to her job at the Manpower Commission. There, she met William M. Putney. They got married in 1948. They had one child, William, Jr. Sadly, her husband passed away in 1965.
Becoming a History Professor
Martha used the G.I. Bill to continue her education. She enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1955, she earned her PhD in European History. After teaching briefly at other universities, she joined Bowie State College. She chaired the history and geography department there until 1974. Then, she returned to her old school, Howard University. She worked as a Senior Lecturer until 1983.
A professor at Howard, Dr. Clifford Muse, Jr., described Dr. Putney's teaching style. He said she worked him very hard. He learned a lot from her. She prepared students for challenges, teaching them they had to be excellent to succeed. Most students at Howard and Bowie State were black. A former student, William Missouri, remembered Dr. Putney asking unprepared students, "How can you be an African American and not want to learn African-American history?"
Writing About Black Military History
After retiring from teaching, Dr. Putney started writing. She focused on the achievements of African Americans in the military. Her first book, Black Sailors, was published in 1987. It was about African-American merchant seamen and whalers before the Civil War. A reviewer called it a "welcome contribution" to the study of black history in the American maritime service.
Her second book, When the Nation was in Need, came out in 1992. This book was about black women in the Women's Army Corps during World War II. She used her own experiences and many historical records. The book won an award in 1993 for being an outstanding book on human rights.
Dr. Putney also edited a book called Blacks in the United States Army (2003). This book was a collection of paintings and sketches. They showed black army personnel in many situations. Each picture had a story, the artist's name, and other details.
She also wrote many articles for scholarly journals. These included the Maryland Historical Magazine and the Journal of Negro History. She also wrote often for a community newspaper called the Northeast News.
Dr. Putney didn't just write about the military history of African Americans. She also gave many public speeches. For example, in 1998, she spoke at a National Park Service event at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C. She talked about the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment's attack on Fort Wagner during the Civil War. She noted that movies like Glory had made this event famous.
She then explained that this was just one of many brave acts by African Americans in the Civil War. She said that black troops were involved in hundreds of battles. She shared statistics too. About 200,000 black soldiers served the Union. Around 68,000 of them were hurt or killed. About 37,000 lost their lives.
Dr. Putney was also a member of important organizations. These included the NAACP and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. She volunteered at the Smithsonian Institution. She also served on the editorial board for a historical journal.
Her Final Years
Dr. Martha Settle Putney passed away on December 11, 2008, in Washington, D.C. She was 92 years old. On February 10, 2009, she was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
