As an African American woman serving in the Women’s Army Corps and the Air Force, Oleta Crain showed bravery in service and challenging racism and segregation.
Of the 300 women who entered officer training during World War II, Crain was one of only three Black women in the program. After the war, Crain was the only female Black officer to be retained by the entire U.S. military.
Throughout her career, Crain would go on to complete tours in Alaska, England, and Germany, but her real fight was for civil rights in military training. During her service, Crain bravely raised concerns about racial segregation and discrimination in the military and successfully gained the respect of her superiors because of her efforts. She eventually retired from the Army as a major and continued to fight for civil rights, specifically for Black women, after successful careers in military intelligence and at the Department of Labor.
