Wilmington Honors African American World War II Veterans
The fifth annual Salute to African American Veterans recognized Wilmington-area veterans who served during World War II.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in African-American
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Wilmington held its fifth annual Salute to African American Veterans on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Hannah Block Historic USO Building in downtown Wilmington. Several dozen people attended, and three new banners honoring African American veterans were unveiled at the event.
Why it matters
The event draws attention to the military service of local African American veterans, whose contributions are documented in historical records of more than 1,000 veterans from the Wilmington area. Honoring these veterans in public spaces keeps their stories visible to residents of the city.
Three new banners honoring African American veterans were unveiled at the event, and historical records document well over 1,000 African American veterans from the Wilmington area. The exact attendance count was not reported beyond 'several dozen,' and the full list of veterans recognized was not specified.
The players
Percy Heath
Percy Heath was a renowned jazz bassist who trained with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II but did not see combat.
Tim Pinnick
Tim Pinnick is a historian who shared research into the lives and military service of local African American veterans at the event.
The details
Historian Tim Pinnick shared research into the lives and military service of local African American veterans, and relatives of deceased veterans shared family histories at the gathering. The program recognized Wilmington-area veterans who served during World War II, including Percy Heath, who graduated from Williston High School in 1940, trained with the Tuskegee Airmen without seeing combat, and later became a renowned jazz bassist.
Timeline
1940: Percy Heath graduates from Williston High School.
World War II era: Local veterans serve, and Heath trains with the Tuskegee Airmen.
November 7, 2026: The fifth annual Salute to African American Veterans is held.
November 10, 2026: Anniversary of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup.
2027: The new banners are expected to be displayed throughout downtown Wilmington.
Historical Context
The salute takes place in the same week as the November 10 anniversary of the 1898 Wilmington Massacre and Coup, when an armed white supremacist takeover overthrew the city's biracial government. Recognizing African American veterans in the same period frames their service within that longer local history.
Residents walking downtown Wilmington will be able to see the new banners honoring local African American veterans. The displays offer a visible reminder of the Wilmington-area veterans who served during World War II.
The takeaway
Local histories of military service often live in family accounts and community research rather than official records. Attending or sharing local commemorations helps keep those stories from being lost.
What happens next
The new banners are expected to be displayed throughout downtown Wilmington in 2027.
Further reading
Explore more African-American culture stories to see how local communities preserve veterans' histories.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WWAYTV3.
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