Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley: First to Serve, First to Lead

Long before words like “diversity” and “equity” became common in military policy, Lt. Col. Charity Adams Earley was already living them out—through her brilliance, discipline, and unwavering belief that Black women had every right to serve and lead.

When Adams arrived at Fort Des Moines in 1942, she entered history as the first African American woman commissioned as an officer in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). She was among the earliest recruits to train at the Iowa post, which had become the Army’s only officer training site for WAACs and the very first of its kind in the nation.

Born in 1918 in North Carolina and raised in South Carolina, Charity Adams was valedictorian of her high school class at just 16 and went on to graduate from Wilberforce University, where she became a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Her time at Fort Des Moines was just the beginning. By 1943, she had become the highest-ranking Black woman in the Army, and in 1945, she led the now-legendary 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the first and only all-Black, all-women unit deployed overseas during WWII. Under her command, the 6888th shattered expectations—clearing a six-month backlog of military mail in just three months, boosting morale for thousands of soldiers.

Adams faced discrimination head-on—once telling off a general who questioned her leadership—and consistently advocated for Black women in uniform to receive equal treatment, responsibility, and recognition. After her military service, she earned a master’s degree in psychology from Ohio State and continued breaking barriers in education, civil rights, and community work.

Today, Lt. Col. Adams Earley’s legacy continues to inspire leaders across military, civic, and academic institutions. Her training at Fort Des Moines wasn’t just a chapter—it was the launchpad of a legacy.

JJoin Us in Honoring Lt. Col. Adams Earley and the Legacy of Fort Des Moines

We invite you to stand with us for the unveiling of the Fort Des Moines Historic Marker, honoring the site’s crucial role in Black and women’s military history.

📅 Date: June 14, 2025

📍 Location: Fort Des Moines Historic Site

🕘 Time: 1pm

📩 RSVP: https://www.naacpdesmoines.org/events-1/fort-des-moines-historic-marker-unveiling

This is more than a ceremony—it’s a celebration of courage, legacy, and justice in motion.