February 19, 2026
2026-02-19T19:00:00
Virtual Event: The 34th Naval Construction Battalion
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Join the MacArthur Memorial for a virtual presentation about the first African American Seabee Battalion in the history of the USN.
On Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 7pm EST, the MacArthur Memorial will host Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr., Curator of Military History at the National Museum of American History, for a special virtual presentation. Dr. Blazich will present the history of the 34th Naval Construction Battalion. The 34th was the first African American “Seabees” Battalion in American naval history, which trained in the Norfolk area. This presentation will discuss their founding and their fight for racial equality during World War II.
Dr. Frank Blazich, Jr. has served as the Curator of Modern Military History at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History since 2017. Prior to this, he served as a historian at the Naval History and Heritage Command as well as the US Navy Seabee Museum. He also serves on several volunteer committees, including the Smithsonian Institution Veterans Council.
This event will be streamed live and the presentation will be followed by an audience Q&A. This event is free to the public. Register now: https://streamyard.com/watch/vjnR7gffUdhZ
To learn more, please visit www.macarthurmemorial.org.