Pioneering Police: Black History Month observance honors Winston-Salem’s early black officers

The first black police officer joined the Winston-Salem Police Department in 1941, but he did not wear a uniform and was assigned to work as a special officer with a concentration on juvenile delinquency among black youth.

Within five years, the late Officer John Joyce had joined the uniformed division and worked as a regular police officer, Police Chief Scott Cunningham said yesterday.

Joyce and two other early officers were honored yesterday afternoon at the first annual Winston-Salem Police Department celebration of Black History Month. The celebration was held at Carl Russell Recreation Center.

“Where we are today is a product of what our pioneers have put forth,” Cunningham told an audience of about 100 people, who turned out for the event.

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