Joan Carolyn Bynum (born September 5, 1934) was an African-American United States Navy nurse. In 1978, she became the first black woman to be promoted to the rank of Captain in the 203-year history of the U.S. Navy.
Biography
Bynum was born on September 5, 1943, in Gary, Indiana.[1][2] Growing up in Gary during World War II, she remembered her uncle's letters home while serving in the Navy as a petty officer.[3] Inspired by his service, it became her dream to serve in the Navy. Bynum attended Meharry Medical College and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1957.[4] After passing her state licensing board examinations, she and enlisted in the Navy as an ensign in 1958.[3]
Navy service
Bynum's first tour of duty was in California, where served two years at Naval Hospital San Diego.[5] Early in her career, she was assigned to duty stations in Portsmouth, Virginia, Chelsea, New York and Rota, Spain.[5] She became a lieutenant commander in January 1966.[2][6][7] During her Navy service, Bynum recalled experiencing discrimination both by virtue of her race and also due to her gender.[3][8]
Bynum was later transferred to Naval Station Great Lakes where she worked in the labor and delivery ward, infectious disease unit and coronary care unit.[5] While serving at Naval Station Great Lakes, Bynum applied for a Navy scholarship for graduate school. She was accepted and enrolled in a pediatric nursing program at Indiana University.[3] Bynum graduated from Indiana University in 1971.[4]
Captain appointment
In 1978, Bynum was a pediatrics nurse stationed in Yokosuka, Japan when she was promoted to the rank of captain. She was 44 years old and had twenty years of Naval service.[9][10] With her promotion, she became the first black woman to attain the rank of captain in the 203-year history of the United States Navy.[11][12][13]
After her appointment, Captain Bynum served as the assistant director of Nursing at Naval Hospital Yokosuka.[3] Bynum retired from the Navy in 1981.[14][15]
References
- ^ "Joan Bynum". navylog.navymemorial.org. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
- ^ a b Register of the Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Navy of the United States and of the Marine Corps. United States Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1968.
- ^ a b c d e All hands. George A. Smathers Libraries University of Florida. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Naval Personnel, Department of the Navy. Office of the Chief of Information, United States. Navy Internal Relations Activity. Naval Media Center (U.S.). Publishing Division. February 1979. pp. 14–22.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b Jet. Johnson Publishing Company. November 23, 1978. p. 5.
- ^ a b c Black Americans in the Navy. Department of Defense, Navy Department, Bureau of Naval Personnel. 1977.
- ^ Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America. Senate of the United States. 1966.
- ^ Outstanding Young Women of America. Junior Chamber of Commerce. 1968. p. 89.
- ^ D'Amico, Francine J.; Weinstein, Laurie L. (March 1999). Gender Camouflage: Women and the U.S. Military. NYU Press. ISBN 978-0-8147-1907-7.
- ^ "Captain Joan Bynum". United States Navy. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
- ^ Eagle & Swan. Port Royal Communications Network Company. 1979. p. 34.
- ^ "Remembering the First Black Women Naval Officers". The Sextant. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
- ^ "Captain Joan Bynum". public2.nhhcaws.local. Retrieved 2025-02-24.
- ^ United States Navy Medical Newsletter. U.S. Bureau of Medicine and Surgery. 1979. p. 22.
- ^ Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1990. p. 105.
- ^ Journal of the Proceedings of the Common Council. Detroit (Mich ) City Council. July 1983.