Chief Petty Officer Alex Haley was the first African-American journalist in the Coast Guard. He was the editor for Coast Guard publications such as the Outpost and the Helmsman.

African-American History Month: Alex Haley

February celebrates the strides of African-Americans throughout history. Many influential figures contributed to the progress of African-American culture in the United States. One of the most well known African-American figures in Coast Guard history is Chief Petty Officer Alex Haley.


D. Winifred Byrd and Julia Mosley stand proudly in front of a SPARs poster. African-American women were admitted into the SPARs in 1945. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

African-American History Month: SPAR

Coast Guard Cutter SPAR is a sea-going buoy tender homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. Its name is in honor of the first women to join the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve created November 23, 1942, also known as the SPARs. It wasn’t until February of 1945 that the first African-American women were admitted into the Coast Guard and able to serve as SPARs.