During the turn of the 20^th century the United States of America went through a period of two world wars.Men left their homes to fight in the war.Because of this, many youth were left without parental guidance.The war did not provide a considerable amount of opportunities for those who were not drafted.As a result thousands of African Americans left the rural south to migrate to northern cities as New York.The migrations to the North brought about thousands of African Americans from the rural south to Norfolk as well.In the 1900-1920 about 1.5 million African Americans left the south and entered the southern cities.This cause an in-migrating increase of African Americans at about 7.3 percent later year these African Americans soon became residents of the city of Norfolk Virginia.[1]The “New Negro” according to Alain Locke, stated that, the “New Negro”, was about African Americans discovering themselves.poets, writers, and artist would create a new kind of “Negro.”[2]For more than three decades Norfolk played and important role during World War I(WWI), and World War II (WWII).There was a shipyardwhich served as the eastern port for the U.S. Navy.The ship yard became important for the citizens of the United State, Virginia and Norfolk.Because it created jobs and extra curricular activities for it’s citizens.The jobs were demanding, it placed a glitch in the foundation for the up bringing of Americans youths.Americans youth were turning to the streets instead of the schools.Something had to be done.A man by the name of William D. Bovce came up with and English organization which began in 1908, Boy Scout.[3]He brought the idea of Boy Scouting to American (BSA) in 1910.A Boy Scout is a young men and boy.The Boy Scouts builds character development and citizenship training.[4]A scout must be physicaly and mental fit. The Boy Scout co-incide with Young Men’s Christian Association (YMAC) , which was another place for young men and boys.The YMCA was all across the U.S.BSA was established in New York in 1910, ironically in the same building the YMCA was located on East 28^th Street.[5]

            In 1910 the BSA was created for young men and boys ages 11-14.BSA was charted in1910, it received an official charter by Congress in 1916.Scouting did not only accrue in New York, it was widely spreading across America.Scouting arrived in Virginia and gradually moved southward to Norfolk and other surrounding cities.On September 21m 1911, Norfolk Council was chartered.Twenty-eight businessmen met at the Navy YMCA to form the council and elect officers.This would not be possible if it wasn’t for Rev. Dr. Watson.He belonged to First Christian Church in Norfolk.Watson founded Troop 1, which became the first troop in the state of Virginia and the city of Norfolk.[6]

             Norfolk really need a boy scouts because there were a lot of young adults on the streets participating in nonproductive activities in stead of progressing in their education.Scouting will enable them with the development of their self-esteem, reading skills, mapmaking skills, and many more.Since 1920, the boy scouts has been a postive organization for at-risk youngster, a safe haven, and a place for youth to seek guidance for the young men and boy in Norfolk.BSA for Norfolk’s youth will help them to participate in a great natural movement more closely linked to American’s youth.In addition, scouting provided participants or opportunity to learn about camping, hiking and other outdoor activities.The scouts would participate in community events such as, scrap drives during the war, cleaning up the neighborhoods, and other civic duties where they were needed.[7]Other community and outdoor activities such as a night outdoors, free from the dust and smoke of the slums was an experience that those young men and boys were not able to experience in the city.A refreshing dip into the inviting waters of the Chesapeake Bay and cleaning the areas around it, aloud them to grow into modeled citizens of Norfolk.In order for them to be modeled citizen they had to be lead by modeled adult citizens.They had to be fit, mentaly and physicaly.The unmistakable development of the boy under the influence of a fit program ever conceived by the minds of philosophers or psychologists for the growth of their you lives.Unfortunitly BSA was not a privilege for all youths in the U.S. or in Norfolk.

              During the turn of the 20^th century boy scouting was an opportunity that African Americans did not have and a chance to participate in.BSA at that time had not considered African Americans as wanting to join or to be apart of their organization.BSA was a privilege for only white young men and boys.Other ethnic groups had not been consisered.Historicaly African Americans have been considered to be inferior.Because of this, the BSA did not have any minorities participating in their organization.In Norfolk African American boys were not a part of BSA.African American citizens questioned why their young men and boys could not be apart of this educational organization.This silent cry for the under privilaged boys about the streets of Norfolk, pleading for a chance to develop into repectable young men. 

   Searching for a way to entering the organization, an African American man by the name of Abner, E. Lee, he had vision of a way Norfolk’s youth could benefit from the BSA.He met at the Metropolitan Bank Building with Louis Lester, Dr. S.F. Coppage, and Mr. Dailey in the idea or organizting an African American boy scout troop in Norfolk.They came to an agreement that African American boys were on their way of becoming permanent members of the streets unless someone did something about it.Lee wrote a letter to the national headquaters in New York January 28 acqyiring information as to how one would go about Scouting.[8]The national headquater replied to Lee’s letter and sent Stanley Harris to help them with the process of becoming a part of the BSA.Harris met with some of Norfolk’s distinguished citizens.[9]They discussed the idea of African American young men and boys participating in the Boy Scout of America Organozation.When the African Americans troops were permitted by the National Council, they would be granted a temporary charter.They were told that they could not wear the uniform of the Boy Scouts.The African American leaders said that they would not except any thing.They wanted “All or Nothing”.Up on their request for a troop, they were approved by Norfolk’s Council Committee.They were the called the Inter-Racial Disrtict or the Colored District.[10]Harris National Director of Inter-Racial Affairs these visionaries would have to go through a certain activities which consisted of conditions to train them over a course of days andto organized the Merit badges that would handed out once copmpleted.[11]

   It was agreed that three troops be organized from the following churches; Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Grace Episcopal Church and Bank Street Baptist Church.[12] District 7 a name given by Norfolk’s Council, was the main District in Norfolk’s African American troops.The membership committee consisted principally of African American ministers. The committee thought that wise to submit names of any new troop locations to the Inter-Racial Committee for approval, upon their request.On September 11, 1911, M.H McArdle was presented with a certificate by the national organization appointing him as the first Inter-Racial Scoutmaster in Norfolk.“On December 31, 1928, there were five Negro Troops,…”[13]there were 108 African American Scouts, 14 of which were second class scouts.On January 11, 1929 the Inter-Racial Committee decided that the scouting program should be extended to embrac the African American element in which the community had been thoroughly discussed and favored action taken.On September 25, 1929 St. Johns A.M.E. Church was seeking permission to organize a scouting troop.They meet unanimous approval by the committee and the Scouts Executive gave them the necessary registration papers to the new troop.The Special Court of Review met at the Metropolitian Bank, Cor. Church on June 13, 1929, inregards to the, “Colored Scouts.”[14] The meeting was to promote these men to first and second class.Then on March 12, 1929 another Special Court of Review meet again at the Metropolitain Bank Church to promote another group of men to second class.

            Boy Scout Troop 77 apart of District 7, begun as the result of a committee meeting held in the late months of 1931.[15]The Boy Scout Council of Norfolk granted the Black Boy Scouts a charter.Paul A. Burton became the first Scoutmaster of Troop 77, located at First Baptist Church Bute St.They were under the leadership of Charles J. Prunell Omohundo, and Winston Douglas.

            Burton was born in Norfolk.He baegan his life as a boy scout when he was an adult.He earned the Nick name, “Mr. Boy Scout.”[16] Troop 77 was a part of District seven which consisted of seven African American troops.Burton’s troop was honored as the best troop in Distria 7 and the national Hoover Awars from the president of the United States.In 1952 Burton was honored by the Scouting Honor Society with the highest awarded, “The Silver Beaver”[17]

               Norfolk’s African American scout observed and celebrated the 25^th aniversary, and the sixth anniversary of the movement among African Ameican boy scouts in Norfolk, which too place on February 7-14, 1935.In 1935 over 400 boys from 19 troops mainly of District 7 observed the 25 anniversary of boy scouts movement in America at St. John’s A.M.E. Church. Before the they retired at St. John’s A.M.E. Church, they were in a parade which started at Dunbar school to north on Chaple St., to Washington Ave., to Church St, to South Bute St, and finally to St. John’s A.M.E. Church.In the week of February 7, troops developed many program such as parents night,and a father and son banquet.On Saturday a moblization of all Boy Scout of District 7 accured.On Sunday scouts attended their churches in full uniform, and participated in assigned tasks.On Monday all the scouts would participate in school assemblies, demonstating the important features of Scouting.On Tuesday a special honor of advancement was held at Booker T. Washington High School.On Wednesday awards was given at Dunbar School. On Thursdayscouts honored Lincoln’sbirthday at Dunbar School.A parade was held in their behalf.The parade will be one of the outstanding features if the anniversary week.[18]This would not be possible if it was not for the dedication on the visionaries and the Scoutmasters who believed in the achievment of African American young men and boys.

                July 3, 1937 a National Jamboree was held in Washington D.C.African Americans troops from northern and western part of the state were mixing with White troops for the first time.Inter-troop assemblies were held, games played, and scouts of every background regardless of color were eating, playing and hiking as one.This Jamboree showed a spectacle of youth of all ages that this was an example of what real democracy and brotherhood ahould be.[19]Scouts get ready for yet another anniversery week.This is to be the most colorful celebration in the history of Norfolk’s Council[20]honored guess were selected to speak at the anniversary.H.C. Young secretery of the Guide Publishing Company, was honored by District 7. The award was ceromney was held at First Baptist Church Bute St.Rev. F.D. Nance pastor of Mary B. Marks Memorial Presbyterian Church and princial of the Providence High School in Norfolk, address the scouts of District 7, at Central Baptist Church Berkley.[21]

              In the year of 1939 there were twenty-three troops and 478 scouts.During the past 12 years thousand of scout have experienced and benefited from the scout program.The Scout Oath and Law give a good idea of what kind of training a scout must go through in order to become a scout.The Scout’s Oath say: “On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight”[22]the Scout’s Law says: “A Scout is Trustworthy, a Scout is Loyal, a Scout is Helpful, a Scout is Freiendly, a Scout is Courteous, a Scout is Kind, a Scout is Obedient, a Scout is Cheerful, a Scout is Thrifty, A Scout is Brave, a Scout is Clean, and a Scout is Reverent.”[23] These Oath and Laws are what scouts have to recite for memory and believe in.

               The dedication for Boy Scouts in Norfolk Virginia did not go in vain.Because those men had a vision, they acted upon it, and make it possible for thousands of African American young men and boys, in Norfolk and around the U.S.The war did not hinder them from achiveing a place for their youngsters. It made them strive hard to incorparate BSA in the City of Norfolk.They faced many barrieors on their way of accomplishing what they set out to do.They were at first not able to wear the uniforms because it would hinder the image of the BSA. It took them a while before theycould have revcieved a charter from the National Headquater of Boy Scouts of America. They were racial discrimination from that orgainization but with the persisten of the visionaries they made it possible to be inducted into BSA.Scouts were able to participate in National Jamborees, in Washington D.C. and even witness the inorgaration of the late president Rooservelt.The Boy Scouts of Norfolk are still in exsistance as of the 21^stcentury.They still hold the Scouts anniversary in the month of February.