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Montford Street named for first African American Marine Corps enlistees

It's being renamed in honor of the Montford Point Marines. They were the first African American enlistees in the U.S. Marine Corps back in 1942.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The City of Charlotte unveiled the new Montford Point Street signs, with Montfort Point Street replacing Phifer Avenue.

It's being renamed in honor of the Montford Point Marines. They were the first African American enlistees in the U.S. Marine Corps back in 1942.

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Montford Point is the North Carolina base where African American enlistees trained because they weren't allowed to do so with their white counterparts.

The ceremony recognized those Montford Marines and their families. The U.S. Marine Corps color guard was also present, as well as the Johnson C. Smith University drumline. 

This is the second of nine streets to be renamed following the city council's approval to rename streets that honor a legacy of Confederate soldiers, slave owners and segregationists.

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