From 1880 to 1947, Station Pea Island was manned by an all African American crew for 67 years. At Pea Island, Richard Etheridge and his crew were equals to their white counterparts in a national organization run by the federal government, receiving equal pay, standard equipment, and leadership by one of their own. The men who served there took pride in their work and found purpose in lives shaped by service, leaving a legacy of honor, duty, and sacrifice that inspired generations of black men to follow their example in service to humanity and the nation. In 1915, the U.S. Life-Saving Service became the U.S. Coast Guard. As the Modern Age advanced, the need for stations every six miles declined, new technology made older lifesaving equipment outdated, and the surfmen of that era became obsolete, while a new generation of African Americans stepped forward to carry Richard Etheridge and his crew's legacy into the future.