Medal of Honor Designee Major James Capers Jr. Inducts Oral History into Library of Congress Veterans History Project

The induction of Major James Capers Jr.'s oral history into the Library of Congress Veterans History Project represents a significant preservation of military history and racial barrier-breaking achievements. As a pioneer of Marine Force Recon and legend of the elite "Team Broadminded," Capers is designated to become the first Black Marine officer in United States history to receive the Medal of Honor. During his visit to the Library of Congress, Major Capers provided a firsthand account of his 64 long-range reconnaissance patrols in Vietnam, and his role as the face of the Marine Corps' first fully integrated national recruitment campaign in 1967.

The historic induction follows the March 2026 signing of H.R. 3377 into law, which officially authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to James Capers Jr. for acts of valor as a member of the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. As the first African American Marine officer in history to be authorized for the nation's highest military honor, Major Capers visited the Library to induct his oral history into the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans so that future generations may hear directly from them and better understand the realities of war.

Major Capers' military career represents extraordinary achievement against substantial racial barriers. Born to sharecroppers in the Jim Crow South, he broke racial barriers to become the first African American Marine promoted from enlisted to officer via a battlefield commission. His personal decorations include the Silver Star Medal, Bronze Star with two Gold Star and Combat V, Purple Heart with three Gold Stars, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, and numerous other honors. As a member of the inaugural class of the U.S. Special Operations Command Commando Hall of Honor, his tactics remain foundational to special operations forces today.

The induction ceremony featured multiple generations of the Capers family, highlighting the intergenerational transmission of military legacy and historical knowledge. Inside the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress, researcher Aneesah Akbar-Uqdah, a Capers daughter, discussed the history of the space with Major James Capers Jr., who was escorted by his grandson, U.S. Coast Guard OS3 Joden Brunson. Akbar-Uqdah is currently conducting research on Maritime Law and Port Health & Security within the same iconic Reading Room where Major Capers' oral history will now be permanently archived.

This archival preservation ensures that Capers' groundbreaking achievements as both a combat leader and racial pioneer will be accessible to researchers, historians, and the public for generations to come. The Veterans History Project induction team included family members, Library of Congress staff, and leadership from the Veterans History Project who coordinated the archival recording of the Major's legendary Marine Corps career. The preservation of this oral history alongside his 1967 recruiting poster, when he became the first African American Marine to be used in a national military recruiting campaign, creates a comprehensive historical record of military integration and special operations development during a transformative period in American history.