Charles T. Norwood

The Charles T. Norwood American Legion Post 157 was chartered December 19, 1924, five years after the National American Legion received its Congressional Charter.  The Post was named to honor Pvt. Charles T. Norwood who served with Company H, 365 Infantry Regiment, 92^nd Infantry Division.  Pvt. Norwood was wounded on November 11, 1918 just hours before the Armistice to end World War I was set to begin.  Pvt. Norwood died from his wounds and Lobar Pneumonia on January 17, 1919 making him the first Black solider to be killed from Raleigh, North Carolina during World War I.  Pvt. Charles T. Norwood was buried in the Raleigh National Cemetery on August 1st, 1921.  He is buried in Section 8 Site 1226  

The post has had in its membership several Legionnaires who has achieved acclaim on the local and National levels.  Clarence B. Lightner a World War II veteran was the first and only citizen of color to be the Mayor of Raleigh, NC.  Dr. Prezell R. Robinson was President of Saint Augustine’s College, he was also appointed on two occasions to be a Public Ambassador to the United Nations.  John P. “Top” Green a World War II Veteran was a community leader in the South Park Community.  In recognition of his service, a street and community were named in his honor.  Charles G. Irving, Sr., and Jr., operated a print shop that for many years printed posters for events held in Raleigh’s Black community.  American Legion Post 157 provided the seed that was planted in Patricia Harris as a young lady that grew into her becoming a Post Commander of the post.  Because of her leadership ability, she was recruited to reorganize another  American Legion Post in a nearby city.  As a reward for her hard work she was elected and serve as a District Commander, Division Commander, Department Commander and currently serve as the Alternate Nation Executive Committee who manages the American Legion National Organization between National Conventions.  Elree T. Smith who currently serves as the Post Financial Officer also serves as the Vice Chairman of the North Carolina Veterans Affairs Commission, Vice Chairman of the Friends of the North Carolina Veterans Homes and is an officer of the Wake County Council of Veterans Organizations where he also served for two years as President.  He is also a Past Department Commander of the Department of North Carolina Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Veterans Leadership Council CARES.  Post Commander Freddy Kelly own and operate a metal fabrication company.  Legionnaire Geraldine Jones own and operate Raleigh Tees, a company the produces graphic design on clothing articles.  The post membership also includes several retirees from the military, state and local, and other Federal government agencies. 

At the time of the organization and charter of the post, Veterans Service Organizations were segregated by race as was American Society.  The charter members of the Charles T. Norwood American Legion Post 157 were veterans of the World War I.  The charter members of the post consisted of veterans who were medical professionals, businessmen, educators, administrators, community leaders and other occupations.  The original fifteen charter members of the post were:

          Dr. J. Thomas Hamlin – Pharmacist

Lt. Lawrence A. Oxley – First Black Assistant Secretary, North Carolina Welfare Department Commander, Division B, American Legion Department of North Carolina.

Mr. James E. Strickland – Banker, owner of a Real Estate Business College.

Dr. Harold L. Trigg – Educator, Superintendent, Negro High Schools, NC Department of Education, First Black President Saint Augustine’s College, Raleigh, NC.

Mr. Jerome J. Turner – Businessman

Dr. Rufus S. Vass – Physician

Mr. Frank Watson – Postal Carrier, Businessman, Higher Education Advocate.

Mr. Claud E. Whitaker – Newspaper Editor/Publisher, Lino typist.

Mr. Charles G. Williams – Community Leader

Mr. J. B. High

Mr. R. B. Jefferson

Mr. McKinley William Savage

Mr. George McDonald

Mr. James Harris

Mr. Joseph Davis

During the early years of its existence, Charles T. Norwood American Legion Post 157 produced leaders of the Division B of the Department of North Carolina American Legion.  Lt. Lawrence A. Oxley served as State Commander of Division B and Past Post Commander Charles G. Irving, Sr., served as State Vice Commander for many years.

Post Commander Irving was a strong supporter of American Legion programs.  He organized the post’s first unit of the Sons of the American Legion that saw his son the late Charles G. Irving, Jr., Post 157 Historian, serving in the unit during his youth.  Legionnaire Irving, Sr., was troubled that Black Legionnaires could not participate in American Legion core programs with all American Legion Post state-wide and Nationally.  It was under his leadership that that the division of Black and White American Legion Posts in North Carolina was resolved 

On December 10, 1938, a permeant Post Charter was issued by National Commander L. L. Chacherick, duly attested by the National Adjutant Frank E. Samuel at the Legion’s Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The new Charter was issued to The American Legion at Raleigh, to be known as Charles T. Norwood Post No. 157, Department of North Carolina.  The Charter was also signed by the North Carolina Department Commander and Department Adjutant on December 28, 1938.  These actions by the National and Department Commanders ended the A and B Divisions within the Department of North Carolina American Legion, but did not end the practice segregation by race of post membership within the state.

The Officers of Charles T. Norwood Post No. 157 listed on the Post Application for Permanent Charter dated November 26, 1938 were: 

Commander:Grady Johnson

Adjutant:Vann D. Alston

Treasurer:Samuel Kittrell

Historian:S. S. Hayes

Service Officer:G. W. Alston

News Correspondent:Arthur Giles

At the time of the application, the post membership was listed as eighty-four (84) with the prior year membership listed as one hundred and twenty-six (126).  At that time, there was approximately three hundred (300) veterans of color residing in Raleigh, NC.  Also, the word “colored” was written in the margin of the application.

For many years, the pride of the Charles T. Norwood American Legion Post was the Post’s Drum and Bugle Corps.  The exact date the Drum and Bugle Corps was first organized is unknown, but they existed for many years and will into the 1960s.  They participated in American Legion’s National Convention in New York City, New York, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cleveland, Ohio, and many State Conventions.  They also participated in Homecoming, Christmas Parades, Armistice Day Celebrations (Veterans Day) and Memorial Day Programs.  The late Legionnaire Wiley Roach of the Post’s Drum and Bugle Corps received national recognition in the Raleigh News and Observer by its publisher the late Mr. Josephus Daniels for their participation in the New York National Convention as the marched down Fifth Avenue.

Charter members of the Charles T. Norwood Drum and Bugle Corps were Legionnaires:

Grady Johnson, Vann D. Alston, Alford Horton, W. H Green, Usher Newkirk, Samuel Kittrell, W. R. Taylor, S. S. Hayes, J. W. Alston, Arthur Giles, George Perry, James Young, Shepherd Faulk, Wiley Roach and Spurgeon Yancey. 

The post has met in several locations in Raleigh, NC.  Among the locations of post meeting places were East Hargett Street, formally known as the Negro Business District, 416 East Cabarrus Street, Raleigh Safety Club and the Garner Road YMCA Garner Road location.