▁opened ▁its ▁doors ▁to ▁African - American ▁women ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁that ▁the ▁first ▁five ▁women ▁were ▁accepted ; ▁they ▁were ▁the ▁only ▁African - American ▁women ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁SP AR S . ▁Although ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁Army ▁Corps ▁( W AC ) ▁accepted ▁African - American ▁women ▁from ▁its ▁in ception , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy ' s ▁Women ▁Accept ed ▁for ▁Vol unte er ▁Emer gency ▁Service ▁( W AV ES ) ▁only ▁began ▁accepting ▁African - American ▁women ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁with ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁of ▁them ▁serving ▁in ▁the ▁W AV ES , ▁and ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Marine ▁Corps ▁Women ' s ▁Reserve ▁never ▁opened ▁its ▁ranks ▁to ▁African - American ▁women . ▁The ▁five ▁African - American ▁women ▁who ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁SP AR S ▁were : ▁Oliv ia ▁Hook er , ▁D . ▁Win if red ▁By rd , ▁Julia ▁Mos ley , ▁Y v onne ▁C umber batch , ▁and ▁A ile en ▁Co oke . ▁Oliv ia ▁Hook er ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁them ▁and ▁thus ▁the ▁first ▁African - American ▁woman ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard . ▁ ▁Training ▁ ▁Officer ▁training ▁ ▁The ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁Navy ▁and ▁the ▁US CG ▁required ▁the ▁initial ▁classes ▁of ▁SP AR S ▁officer ▁candidates ▁to ▁receive ▁their ▁ind o ctr ination ▁training ▁at ▁Smith ▁College ,