All 1940s Blog Posts
…So this is what I want to know:
When we see Victory’s glow,
Will you still let old Jim Crow
Hold me back?
When all those foreign folks who’ve waited—
Italians, Chinese, Danes—are liberated.
Will I still be ill-fated
Because I’m black?
From Will V-Day Be Me-Day Too, 1944 | Langston Hughes
Tulsa Christmas Parade and a Troupe of 35 Sapulpa Baton Twirlers (1949)
A long time ago, a troupe of 35 baton twirlers from Sapulpa, Oklahoma, marched in the Tulsa Christmas parade. A popular local photographer, Howard Hopkins, took their picture and it ended up on a postcard. Click here to see a watermark image of the University of Tulsa...
Woonsocket, Rhode Island Majorettes (1940s)
What a time to be alive, right? Look at all the men in their trench coats and hats and women with their heads covered with scarves. I can feel the cold rain and hear the tuba making its way down the winding avenue. I am 100 percent sure these photos were taken in...
Rare 1940s Portrait of Black Majorette Mae Alice Hinkle
Check out this lovely rare 1940s portrait of Black majorette Mae Alice Hinkle. It was taken in 1943. Ms. Hinkle grew up in Webster Groves, Missouri where she attended Douglass High School. Formal portraits of baton twirlers and majorettes from the early 1940s are...
Rose Romero, El Paso Twirler, 1941
Rose Romero was a Mexican-American majorette on the El Paso High School pep squad in 1941. Below is an excerpt about the photographer who captured this beautiful image of her. Alfonso Casasola, Photographer Alfonso Casasola, a member of a famous family of Mexican...
1949 All-Western Drum Majorette Queen
1949 All-Western Drum Majorette Queen Marilyn Watson In 1949, Marilyn Watson won the title of All-Western Drum Majorette Queen. As such, she led a four-hour parade during the 9th Annual All-Western Band Review, Long Beach, California. More than 5,000 musicians in 84...
Sacramento High School Majorettes, July 4, 1943
Happy Fourth of July! Majorettes were made for Independence day parades and patriotic costumes! We love this photo of the Sacramento High School Majorettes from 1943. Their hair is curled, their hat fringe is festive, their American flags are held at similar jaunty...
Robert Olmstead, Baton Twirling Legend
Robert Olmstead was a band leader and early instructor in baton twirling in the United States. Born in California in 1915, he grew up performing in vaudeville shows. He played multiple instruments and became a highly skilled twirler who twirled batons on slackwire....
Majorettes Promoting War Bonds, World War II
In July 1942, majorettes filled a street car painted red, white and blue to promote the sale of war bonds and stamps during World War II. The car was to go into regular service the next day on the Broadway Line. — Chicago Tribune historical photo (LINK) Here is...
Majorettes on Memorial Day, circa
This photo features two Pennsylvania majorettes on Memorial Day during World War II. They are Jeanne Goeppert (left) and Alma Herring (right). They are standing with a floral wreath inside the Freeland Cemetery, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. This image was a good...
Cigarette Ads Featuring Majorettes (Chesterfields)
The following images of cigarette ads featuring majorettes and drum majorettes and are for educational purposes only. purposes. The Vintage Twirler is an education and advocacy website and seeks to educate the twirling community about the history of baton twirling in...
1940s Gallery
This page was designed to feature all 1940s blog posts. For quick viewing of all 1950s baton twirling photographs, click the button below.
1940s Collection
Visit the 1950s collection page to view baton twirling photos from the 1950s, year by year. For example, with one click, you can pick a year, such as 1953, and view all the photographs we have published from that year.
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Photo Epigraph
A Black majorette corps marches in a parade to honor James T. Wiley, Tuskegee Airman, June 1944
PITTSBURGH’S HILL DISTRICT | JUNE 1944
Black majorette corps march in a parade to honor James T. Wiley, Tuskegee Airman. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces. From 1940-1946, nearly 1,000 were trained at Tuskegee Army Field. The installation was the air training site for Black men and women preparing to fight in World War II. Approximately 445 Tuskegee airmen were deployed overseas and 150 lost their lives. (Photo by Charles “Teenie” Harris.)
Stories from the 1940s
Do you know any baton twirling stories from the 1940s? Email us at info@vintage-baton-twirler.org.
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