MacArthur Memorial Hosts Virtual Talk on First Black Seabees

NORFOLK, Va – On Thursday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m., the MacArthur Memorial will present a free virtual lecture by Dr. Frank Blazich Jr., Curator of Military History at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.

Dr. Blazich will explore the history of the 34th Naval Construction Battalion—the first African American “Seabees” battalion in U.S. naval history. Trained in the Norfolk area, the unit was established during World War II and played a key role in the fight for racial equality in the military.

Dr. Blazich has been Curator of Modern Military History at the National Museum of American History since 2017. He previously served as a historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command and the U.S. Navy Seabee Museum. He also serves on the Smithsonian Institution Veterans Council.

This virtual presentation will include a Q&A session. This event is free and open to the public. To register, visit: https://streamyard.com/watch/vjnR7gffUdhZor www.macarthurmemorial.org.