Millie Dunn Veasey
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Millie Dunn Veasey (January 31, 1918 – March 9, 2018) was an American veteran, who served from 1942 to 1945 in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC). After returning home from World War II, she worked as executive secretary at St. Augustine’s University and was active in the civil rights movement with the Raleigh-Wake Chapter of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
, where she became president in 1965.


Early life

Veasey was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, just nine blocks away from the North Carolina State Capitol building as one of six children in the family. She was named for her grandmother, Millie Gunter Henry, who inspired her by continually seeking to serve others, through work at Raleigh's First Baptist Church on Wilmington Street, where Veasey attended. Veasey attended Washington High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. After graduating from Washington, Veasey worked with the Wake County extension agent before joining the Army.


Education

In 1953, Veasey graduated from St. Augustine’s College in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in business education and a minor in English. She attended college on the G.I. Bill, and while enrolled, she worked as the executive secretary to the President, James Boyer. A few years later, she attended North Carolina Central University and earned a Master of Arts degree in business administration as well as an education counseling minor.


Career

Veasey enlisted in the army with the “six-triple-eight” battalion, the
6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, nicknamed the "Six Triple Eight", was an all-black battalion of the Women's Army Corps (WAC). The 6888th had 855 black women, both enlisted and officers, and was led by Major Charity Adams. It was th ...
in December 1942. This unit was the only all-female and all-black battalion to serve during World War II overseas. She began her examinations in
Fort Bragg Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
, North Carolina, the following month. In April 1943, Veasey was shipped to Fort Des Moines, Iowa for basic military training. She completed her basic training in Denver, Colorado, and was stationed as a clerk for the cooks and bakers school in Fort Clark, Texas, until the spring of 1944. She then headed to Camp Maxey, Texas, and worked in the hospital with secretarial duties. She completed overseas training in Georgia before heading to the European Theater in early February 1945, arriving in Glasgow, on the ''
Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022 ...
''. She was in Birmingham, England, for four months before transferring to
Rouen Rouen (, ; or ) is a city on the River Seine in northern France. It is the prefecture of the Regions of France, region of Normandy (administrative region), Normandy and the Departments of France, department of Seine-Maritime. Formerly one of ...
, France, as a supply clerk until she was discharged. In 1945, she left the WAC as a
staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...
. For four years, she taught business education at Thompson High School in Mathews, Virginia, as well as eighth grade English. She then returned to Raleigh and worked for St. Augustine's before eventually retiring as director of career planning and placement/cooperative education in 1986.


Personal life and death

Veasey was married in 1949 to Warren L. Veasey, who died in 1961, and had two stepchildren, Juanita and Warren Jr. She died on March 9, 2018, in Raleigh at age 100.


Legacy

Veasey served as a prominent figure in the civil rights movement. A local leader in the
NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E.&nb ...
, she became the first female president of the Wake County chapter. In her role as president, Veasey worked with other NAACP leaders on a local and national scale. She interacted with key figures such as Thurgood Marshall, and once sat next to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the
1963 March on Washington Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...
. In addition to the NAACP, she was also involved in the National Federation of Democratic Women and the
American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a non-profit organization of U.S. war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militi ...
. After her retirement from St. Augustine's College in 1986, Veasey continued to stay involved in her community for several years. She taught as a Sunday school teacher at her church and regularly assisted neighbors with tax forms. She was a member of local organizations in Raleigh, North Carolina and regularly volunteered with American Legion Post 157. Veasey was also a member of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority and held both national and regional leadership positions. Her Army uniforms, which were donated to the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, North Carolina, are the only known examples of uniforms from the 6888th Battalion. On February 13, 2018, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation honored Veasey, in absentia, with the "Distinguished Veteran Living Legend Award." Veasey was posthumously inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame on November 4, 2018.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Veasey, Millie Dunn 1918 births 2018 deaths American centenarians Women in World War II NAACP activists North Carolina Central University alumni St. Augustine's University (North Carolina) alumni African-American activists 20th-century African-American educators Military personnel from Raleigh, North Carolina Activists from North Carolina Educators from North Carolina 20th-century American women educators 20th-century American educators Women centenarians 21st-century American women