Pickens, Harriet, 1909-1969

Born in 1909 in Talladega, Alabama, Harriet Pickens joined the WAVES in 1944 as a member of the Women's Reserves in the U.S. Naval Reserve. She was one of two African-American women to be sworn in as an officer, and was commissioned as a lieutenant following her training, the first to receive this high rank. She served as an assistant in advanced training for WAVES recruits with an emphasis in indoctrination and was responsible for teaching the recruits the history, organization, recent exploits, rating and personnel of the Navy. She also was the director of the Navy Material Redistribution and Disposal Administration in New York.

Harriet Pickens, daughter of William Pickens, well-known educator, orator, editor and civil rights leader, lived in Harlem for fifty years and took a deep and active interest in improving life for residents of this community. She held several administrative positions in community service organizations. Pickens died in New York in 1969.