7 Black Celebrities Who Served Our Country—From James Earl Jones to Shaggy
From James Earl Jones to Shaggy, these stars proudly served our country before finding fame
Key Takeaways
- The late James Earl Jones served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955.
- Oscar winner Sidney Poitier served as a physiotherapist in World War II.
- Shaggy says he developed his distinctive singing voice by mocking his Marine Corps instructors.
Juneteenth is right around the corner and to celebrate the historic holiday, we have decided to take a look back at some of the brave Black celebrities who have served our country. From the late James Earl Jones, whom most people know as the voice of Mufasa and Darth Vader, to musician Jimi Hendrix, these stars truly went above and beyond to protect our country and we thank them for that. To see what Black celebrities served in the military, keep reading.
James Earl Jones
Legendary actor James Earl Jones served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1955. After being commissioned as an officer in mid-1953, he completed the Infantry Officers Basic Course at Fort Benning, Georgia. He went on to attend the prestigious Ranger School and played a key role in establishing a cold weather training command near Leadville, Colorado. Jones was honorably discharged as a first lieutenant. The beloved star passed away at age 93 on September 9, 2024.
Jimi Hendrix
Rock ‘n’ roll guitarist Jimi Hendrix enlisted in the Army in 1961 and served for one year before switching back to his guitar. Hendrix tragically died in September 1970 from accidental asphyxiation while under the influence of barbiturates. He was just 27, and is still considered to be one of the best musicians of all time.
Morgan Freeman
Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable voices, Morgan Freeman had dreams of flying. In 1955, he was so passionate about aviation that he turned down a drama scholarship to enlist in the U.S. Air Force. Freeman served for four years before leaving the military in 1959 to pursue acting. Freeman is currently 89 years old and has won one Oscar for Million Dollar Baby.
Ice-T (Tracy Marrow)
Ice-T (born Tracy Marrow) served in the U.S. Army for four years in the late 1970s. He was mainly stationed in Hawaii and was honorably discharged in December 1979, having attained the rank of Private First Class.
“Let’s put it like this: I don’t know if I would voluntarily go back into the military, but I’m glad I did,” Ice-T told B High Atl in 2023. “It gave me a lot of [experience learning] how to create a plan, you know? I learned how to do routines, I learned how to problem solve.”
Ice-T is currently 68 years old and starring in Law & Order: SVU. He’s been married to Coco Austin since 2002 and they have one child together.
Sidney Poitier
Years before winning an Oscar for Lilies of the Field, Sidney Poitier served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was on active duty from 1943 to 1944 and worked as a physiotherapist in a hospital after initially failing the literacy requirements for enlistment. He joined to try and escape being homeless. Following his time in the service, Poitier went on to become the first African-American to be nominated for and eventually win Best Actor at the Oscars for Lilies of the Field. He passed away in January 2022 at age 94.
Shaggy (Orville Richard Burrell)
Most people know Shaggy (born Orville Richard Burrell) as the voice behind the hit song “It Wasn’t Me,” but before he was topping the charts, he served his country with honor. From 1988 to 1992, Shaggy was a field artillery cannon crewman in the U.S. Marine Corps. During his service, he was deployed to the Middle East for Operation Desert Storm, proving himself to be not just a talented musician, but a true American hero.
“I got this voice by mocking drill instructors in the military,” Shaggy said in 2024, per Military.com. “Cause in the Marines, the drill instructors would go, ‘Yeah, boy, drop and give it 20; let’s go, boy’ and I would mock him as a form of joking because it motivated, you know, your platoon.”
“I just sang that song in that voice because it sounded cool, and all of a sudden, ‘Oh Carolina’ blew up, and I’m faced with this situation that I’m going to have to sing every song like that,” he added.
Shaggy is now 57 years old and still touring. He’s married to Rebecca Packer and has two children.
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