Jazz legend Joe Wilder, Montford Point Marine, to be posthumously honored with Congressional Gold Medal
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The legendary jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer Joe Wilder will soon posthumously receive the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his service as a Montford Point Marine, according to an announcement from James Carr, president of the New York Metropolitan Chapter No. 3 of the Montford Point Marine Association.
The Montford Point Marines were the first Black Americans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps after President Franklin Roosevelt issued an Executive Order establishing the Fair Employment Practices Commission in June 1941.
Wilder, who was known as a virtuoso landmark trumpeter, with a career spanning more than five decades, served in the Marines from 1943 to 1946, during World War II.
The Congressional Gold Medal is bestowed by the United States Congress and is the highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals and institutions.
The Congressional Gold Medal will be presented to the Wilder family during a ceremony at the Schomburg Center on July 17, 2023.
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