Elwood & Marie Greer

Elwood and Marie Greer in 1943 were one of the first families to live in Sinclair Heights, and were instrumental in helping new families transition to the project. They were co-founders of the Bremerton NAACP and participated in actions that addressed and eliminated segregation policies in Bremerton.    

Adapted from Roosevelt Smith’s column in the Kitsap Sun, “The couples that worked together for equal rights in Bremerton,” February 17, 2023.

Marie Greer (Opal Marie Silvers Greer, died 2008) and her longtime friend Lillian Walker joined with white women in the 1940s to stage sit-ins at downtown Bremerton diners. She is counted among the founders of the YWCA of Kitsap County, was active in the NAACP locally and nationally, and served as national secretary of the Association of Colored Women’s Clubs.

Source: Charles Melton, “Bremerton pioneer Marie Greer leaves lasting legacy,” Kitsap Daily News, March 28, 2008.