During World War II. nearly 50,000 Black soldiers trained at Fort Huachuca. Most
of the soldiers were assigned to the 92sup>nd and 93rd Infantry Divisions. They were
training for deployment overseas. These men were training for combat.
Over 80% the officers in the two divisions were Black. To house the two divisions,
plus supporting. troops. The Army built l, 400 wood frame buildings. Racial segregation
policies at the time required the Army to build two Officers Clubs. Mountain View
for Black Officers and Lakeside for White Officers. The Mountain View Club, specifically
for Black Officers, was the only such club built from the group-up in the history
of the U.S. Army.
On Labor Day l942, the Mountain View 0fficers` Club opened its doors with special
entertainment. This was a performance of the play The Cubin in the Sky, presented
by members of troupe of Tucson actors: "This was truly a gala occasion, as well
as momentous, and even to current writing there still is favorable talk about that
festive occasion. Lt. Pryor was put in charge of the Mountain View Club and he did
a grand job from first to last" (Old Blue Helmet, 5 February 1943).
Following its dedication and grand opening, countless shows took place at the Mountain
View Club. Some of the most famous entertainers of the time appeared at Mountain
View. Among them were Lena Horne, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Dinah Shore,
and Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the World Joe Louis.
Today, all but one of the l, 400 wood frame WWII type buildings on Fort Huachuca
have been demolished. That one building is the historic Mountain View Building 66050.
The Southwest Association of Buffalo Soldiers jointed in a Memorandum of Agreement
with Fort Huachuca. This spares the building from planned demolition, giving the
Association time to raise money to renovate the building.
The goal is for Mountain View to become at Museum and Historical Research Center
focusing on Black men and women in military history. The historic time frame is
1866 -1951. Mountain View will be a living testament to all those men and women
who served their country well, despite the indignities of prejudice and racism suffered
while servin in a segregated Army.
Building 66050 has a story worth telling.
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