T/Sgt. William Benjamin Snell was born in South Carolina in 1919. He joined the Army on February 14, 1941 and was married a year later to Nina Rosemary  Thompson of Evanston.

Prior to his enlistment he was a promising heavy weight boxer who was hired to spar with Joe Louis prior to his fight with Bob Pastor; a fight that Louis won with a knockout in the 11th round. While stationed at Fort Blanding, Florida, he helped break the color barrier by being the first black man to fight a while man in Florida. The white fighter’s name was Tommy Gomez. Both fighters were willing to take this step for the betterment of all people.

T/Sgt. Snell was killed in action in 1943 and was the first black soldier from Evanston to die in North Africa during wwII.

This portrait of Sergeant Snell hangs in a special gallery on the second floor of the Evanston Civic Center at 2100 Ridge.