African Americans in Navy

By DAN GOLDBERG 05/25/2020 Commander Daniel W. Armstrong, a tall, handsome, aristocratic-looking man with an upright gait and an immaculate uniform, looked the 16 black men over. He was the white officer in charge of the black camp, a man whose willingness to work with African American enlistees earned praise from the higher-ups in Washington. “Do you…

Read More The Golden Thirteen: The Forgotten Story of How 13 Black Men Broke the Navy’s Toughest Color Barrier

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Commandant of Midshipmen announced the spring semester midshipman leadership positions, Friday, Nov. 8, which includes the selection of the Naval Academy’s first African American female brigade commander, Midshipman 1st Class Sydney Barber, of Lake Forest, Ill. The Brigade Commander is the highest leadership position within the brigade, and is the only “six striper” –…

Read More The Naval Academy named its first Black female brigade commander

KINGSVILLE, Texas – The U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical air (TACAIR) pilot received her Wings of Gold July 31, marking a significant milestone for Naval Aviation. Virginia native Lt. j.g. Madeline G. Swegle was designated a naval aviator and received her Wings of Gold with 25 classmates during a small ceremony at Naval Air Station (NAS)…

Read More Former Track and Field Athlete Becomes U.S. Navy’s First Black Female Tactical Jet Pilot

BY DAN C. GOLDBERG  MAY 19, 2020 3:00 PM A black man had graduated the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877 and the Army had its first black general in 1940. But when World War II began, African Americans were not even allowed to enlist in the Navy’s general service. […] 16 African American…

Read More How the U.S. Navy’s First Black Officers (The Golden Thirteen) Helped Reshape the American Military