FORT KNOX, Ky. — “Fort Knox has always been blessed with having liberal-minded people in command. Even when the post was segregated, each commander was vitally interested in the problems of Negro personnel and did all in his power to keep the Negro soldier aware of the part he was playing in the defense of his country.”

So starts a draft autobiography of Margaret “Ma” Collier, a trailblazing Black woman from New York who traveled to the post in 1942 to manage an all-Black service club. She is one of 19 Black Kentuckians featured on Kentucky Black Trailblazers, a website devoted to educating Kentuckians and others about the accomplishments of Black people who helped shape the state’s history.
The website incorporates augmented reality to tell their stories.
“Augmented reality is a technology that superimposes digital content such as images, videos, and animations into the real world, creating a unique and interactive user experience,” according to the website at https://kentuckyblacktrailblazers.com/. “By leveraging AR, Kentucky Black Trailblazers transports you to the life and times of each of the 19 featured stories, allowing you to interact with the legacies in a whole new dimension.”

As part of the Kentucky Department of Tourism, members of the initiative happened upon the story of Collier after approaching Ty Reid, director of the General George Patton Museum of Leadership, for suggestions.
“When Elizabethtown Tourism came to us over a year ago and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to have some stops here in Hardin County. We want one of them to be a Fort Knox stop,’ we suggested Ma Collier,” said Reid. “We have her archives here.”
Reid said Collier was a linchpin to not only Black history at the post, but also a wrecking ball to segregation.
“Here’s this incredible, very local story that occurs within this timeline of impact. You have this lady who’s working and toiling for these Soldiers that are being mistreated systemically,” said Reid. “But then when that system goes away, she says, ‘Well, my work isn’t done. I’m going to advocate for all the Soldiers now.’
“That’s why they called her Ma; she was basically everybody’s mom, and very well thought of.”
Reid said Collier’s dad, who had served honorably as an Army first sergeant, led her to want to serve as a civilian. America’s inevitable war with Germany, Italy and Japan led Collier to Fort Knox.
“She was here to maintain the morale of the African American troops,” said Reid. “She worked very closely at the time with the Garrison commander, Col. [N.B.] Briscoe, and really ensured that the African American troops were taken care of.”
Collier reflected on her relationship with Briscoe in the autobiography.
“When I arrived on the post in February 1942, there was less than 200 Negro soldiers here,” wrote Collier. “I was told by the post commander that I was more than a Service Club Hostess. ‘My job is to keep the morale of the men high,’ said he, ‘and to keep him well informed of any problems which might arise among Negro personnel.’”
Collier took her role as hostess seriously. She managed to score stops to her club by some of America’s most famous Black celebrities. Her exclusive list included boxing legend Joe Louis, jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong, singer Lena Horne, and Olympic gold medalist Jesse Owens.
Her ability to draw in great celebrities became fertile ground for white leaders to participate in celebrating Army life alongside Black Soldiers.
As World War II kicked off, efforts to desegregate Soldiers and promote equal treatment began to take hold at Fort Knox. Reid said Collier was at the center it all.
“Ma Collier was in a key position to advocate for Black Soldiers. Her efforts at advocacy, along with a sympathetic ear by key commanders like Gen. [Jacob] Devers provided the combination that was needed for desegregation to take place,” said Reid.

Collier also praised the leaders at Fort Knox for their willingness to break the barriers of segregation.
“Throughout my tour of duty here, each new commanding officer has expected this [mission to keep the morale of the men high] of me; and, I have served in this capacity as well as acted as counsellor and advisor to countless members of Negro and white soldiers who were and are stationed at Fort Knox,” she wrote.
Reid said Collier’s quiet determination and upbeat willingness to selflessly serve all Soldiers allowed her the rare opportunity to stay ahead of the times, shaping the military landscape of equality. As a result of this and her lifetime of dedicated service to the Army, he immediately offered up her name to the initiative.
“We’re happy to be a part of this. Collier’s story is really about telling a local story that’s relatively unknown,” said Reid. “Fort Knox has a national story that everybody has a pretty good grasp on with civil rights and other things that happened on the national level. Ma Collier straddles both the local story and the national story, through the eyes of a civilian.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Editor’s Note: For more on the story of Ma Collier, read this article: Black leader’s biography showcases her influence on Fort Knox during, after WWII | Article | The United States Army. Those who are interested in learning more about Collier can stop by the General George Patton Museum of Leadership on Highway 31W north of Fort Knox.
Social Sharing