James Storer - the first African American worker at the Armory, circa 1912

The African American community in Springfield dates back at least to the Revolutionary War era, but was relatively small until World War II, when many Black workers came from the South to find jobs in the industrial cities of the north. Springfield Armory hired these men and women to fill its expanding wartime workforce. After the war, many were laid off, and of these most left Springfield, the men mostly to other industrial jobs in the midwest and the women back to their homes. Some, like Stanley Desmond, stayed on at the Armory, making careers as machinists.

Revolutionary War era

The conspicuous presence of African-Americans within the local community was noted as early as the Revolutionary War in the diaries and letters of the German soldiers (defeated at Saratoga by the Continental Army) marched onto the grounds of the newly-established Springfield Arsenal in the Autumn of 1777 (where the Springfield Armory NHS and Springfield Technical Community College are today). The presence of African American soldiers was also noted in the ranks of almost every regiment of Washington’s Continental Army even as enslavement continued to hold many in servitude. The end of the war in 1782 brought, however, an end to racial servile enslavement in Massachusetts. Thereafter, African Americans, never numerous in Massachusetts before that time, became an even smaller minority until a few decades prior to the Civil War. It was during that bloody conflict that the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, some of whom came from the local community, forever removed any doubt about the depth of their commitment to liberty.

Nineteenth Century

The small population of African-Americans in Springfield during the mid-1800’s included a prominent man named Primus Mason who traded in leather and hides with the armory. Mason Square in Springfield is named for him. This was also a time in Springfield that witnessed the turning of the African American congregation of St. John’s Church to the plight of those enslaved elsewhere in the United States by virtue of their color. These were years when John Brown lived for a while in Springfield (himself a member of St. John’s congregation and where his Bible rests to this day), Frederick Douglass walked with us, and many more who would soon shed their blood on southern battlefields.

A worker on the greasing conveyer, removing stocks to get
ready for assembling to action.

Twentieth Century

Joseph William Bowers, in his 1914 Graduation thesis The Springfield Negro cites the African American population of Springfield at 1841 people. He then breaks this number down by state of origin, length of residency etc. He gives numbers employed in various occupations, and union membership information, property ownership, schools, churches, and civic organizations attended.

Emmett J. Scott's classic study, Negro Migration During the War, presents data relating to the causes and consequences of migration from South to North during World War I.

Church organizations were vital to the community, especially those provided by St. John's Congregational Church. Under the direction of the Rev. Dr. William N. DeBerry, St. John's incorporated an agency to support its community organizations. St. John's Institutional Activities is a pamphlet published in 1921 and updated in 1926, describing its social services, including boys' and girls' clubs, choirs, housing and a summer camp. The camp, now called Camp Atwater, is still in operation today.

A jolly group of workers eating lunches together

St. John's also carried out research on the Black community and published three Sociological Surveys, in 1905, 1922 and 1940. The 1905 survey is not available, but is referenced in the Bowers thesis of 1914. Together they provide interesting comparative data and analysis of the community from the pre-WWI era through the Depression.

The Springfield Daily News November 15 1943 reports on continuing racial discrimination in hiring, relative equality of treatment at the Armory, and attitudes of Springfield whites and blacks in general.

In 1930, St. John's Institutional Activities separated from St. John's Church and changed its name to The Dunbar Community League. Rev. DeBerry remained the leader of the new organization, which published the Dunbar Record, an annual report. The issues collected here cover the WWII years, 1941 - 1945.