The U. S. Naval Academy was established in 1845 by an Act of Congress. Yet, 104 years would pass before the first black would complete the four-year curriculum and be commissioned. By 1965, there were still only nine blacks in the 4,100-man Brigade. But, today, the picture is changing.
In 1872, James H. Conyers, a 16-year-old black from South Carolina, reported to the Naval Academy where hazing—degrading or humiliating acts of physical contact with intent to do bodily harm to first-year students—had grown to very deplorable proportions. He had been appointed by a black Congressman, R. B. Elliott, and he resigned on 11 November 1873. He created a considerable uproar upon his arrival and remained the center of attention throughout his stay. He was reasonably well protected from the hazing, but managed to get into trouble on numerous occasions.
As the result of court-martial actions he was dismissed several times, but each time he was restored to duty by the Secretary of the Navy, who was not convinced that Conyers had received just treatment by his superiors. According to Admiral Robley D. Evans, the "boy was really unbearable" and the Academy was not prepared to cope with a Negro midshipman, even if he had been a model of deportment. Conyers finally consented to resign after being found deficient in his studies.
Just prior to the arrival on the scene of Conyers, an investigation of the hazing at the Academy had resulted in legislation by the Congress to control those activities. The investigation also established that racial discrimination was not a factor in the subsequent resignation or dismissal of Conyers and those black midshipmen who immediately followed. However, in his book, A Sailor's Log, Admiral Evans described at least one incident of the hazing of Conyers. The Army and Navy Journal mentioned newspaper reports regarding the "treatment received by the young colored midshipman at the Naval Academy," but didn't accept those reports "without a grain of allowance." The same editorial mentioned reports regarding the refusal of the other midshipmen to associate with Conyers except when necessary, and pointed out that the selection of friends by the students could not be controlled by the authorities.
The Army and Navy Journal later reported that an "investigation into the alleged ill treatment" of Conyers was in progress, that Conyers had apparently been assaulted by a Midshipman Diggs of Maryland and that Diggs had been dismissed. The same article pointed to the dismissal of several students the previous year for hazing, as evidence that Academy officials were determined to bring hazing under control. Two of those dismissed secured Congressional re-nominations which were subsequently revoked by the President. These articles considered the reports of the hazing of Conyers to be greatly exaggerated.
The New York Times reported that Conyers was totally ignored by his classmates who agreed to avoid personal contact with him even if it became necessary to disobey orders. On one occasion, Midshipman Claude refused an order by Lieutenant Cornwell to fence with Conyers during a fencing class. Claude was reported for disobedience of orders and was given the alternative of apologizing to Lieutenant Cornwall or of being dismissed from the service. Claude chose the second option and was separated.
Conyers was found academically deficient in June 1873, but was allowed to return in September for re-examinations. However, he again failed to pass and subsequently resigned. He had been offered an opportunity by a professor at the Academy to be coached, free of charge, during the summer for the re-examination but he declined.
Alonzo C. McClennan, also of South Carolina, was the second black to become a midshipman at Annapolis. Appointed by R. H. Cain, Congressman-at-Large, and also a black, he arrived in late September 1873, about six weeks before the discharge of Conyers. Navy Department records show that McClennan was first discharged on 16 March 1874, and that he later resigned on 4 November 1875. The reason for his discharge was shown as academic deficiency. The discrepancy in the date of his release was best explained by McClennan himself in a statement to The New York Times. He stated that he had been court-martialed for an alleged minor offense, had denied being guilty and that his denial made it a question of veracity between him and the cadet who had made the charge. As a result of the proceedings he was recommended for dismissal, but the Secretary of the Navy refused to accept the findings and ordered him re-enrolled. Later he was put in prison on board the USS Santee for striking another midshipman who attempted to force McClennan out of his seat at the dinner table. He remained a prisoner until he resigned. According to McClennan, Professors Foster and Snow induced him to resign by offering to send him to Massachusetts and ensuring that he receive an education. He states that he took advantage of their offer. The Times had earlier reported that McClennan was a successful practicing physician and owner of a drug store in Charleston so there appears no reason to discount the truth of McClennan's statements.
The third black midshipman, Henry E. Baker, Jr., was appointed by Representative H. W. Barry of Mississippi, who was not a black. Neither Baker nor McClennan were identified by the Naval Academy as "Negroes," but are carried as such in the Bureau of Naval Personnel files. Baker entered the Academy on 24 September 1874, just one year behind McClennan. Originally with the Class of 1878, Baker was turned back to the Class of 1879 as a result of being academically deficient. Navy records show he was dismissed on 4 November 1875, for misconduct.
The New York Times reported that Baker endured hazing of much greater severity than that experienced by Conyers or McClennan. According to the Times, on one occasion an officer had to draw his sword in order to protect him, and on another occasion he was assaulted by all or most of a squad of midshipmen while marching in a section from one part of the Yard to another. The sword incident was not reported to the Academy, but was picked up by a reporter who printed it. Admiral Worden, the Superintendent, when informed of the incident, took some action against those responsible, but soon after, he approved the court-martial findings against Baker, who had "applied an opprobrious epithet" to a cadet who had hit Baker's leg with a chair as he sat down to dinner. Again the Navy Secretary intervened, but Baker declined his offer for reinstatement, and resigned. He later studied law and was employed by the U. S. Patent Office in Washington, D.C.
Robert Wheeler of Chicago was appointed in the fall of 1896 by Representative George White of Illinois, and even though he had obtained a principal nomination, he failed to appear at Annapolis to take his entrance examinations and was disqualified.
Two black candidates, W. C. Bundy of Cincinnati, and John W. Smith of Chicago, were appointed to the class entering in September 1897. According to The New York Times, Congressman Shattuc of Ohio, who appointed Bundy, stated he had been urged to withdraw the name of Bundy, that several Congressmen had told him there was an unwritten law against appointing blacks to Annapolis and such an appointment would "break up the school and that other students would resign." But Congressman Shattuc stated that the appointment had been fairly won by competitive examination and he would stand by the appointment. Bundy, one of 92 scheduled to take entrance examinations, arrived at Annapolis on 1 September 1897, and enrolled without incident. However, none of the other candidates spoke to Bundy. He did "exceptionally well" on his entrance examinations, failing only in spelling, arithmetic, and algebra, according to The New York Times, and Bundy was scheduled to appear for reexamination in spelling on 4 September but failed to do so, thereby losing his chance to enter unless reappointed.
Smith, also appointed by Congressman White of Illinois, a Caucasian, took his examination in May 1897. He failed in three out of four sections on the English examination and also failed in grammar, geography, and history. He was re-appointed to take the examinations in September, and Congressman White stated he would continue to reappoint Smith as long as he was in Congress. Smith, however, resolved the issue by failing to appear for re-examination and his alternate was appointed in his place.
There was little doubt that a considerable amount of controversy accompanied the matriculation of Conyers, McClennan, and Baker and a great deal more as the result of The New York Times articles. While the Army and Navy Journal discounted to some extent the accuracy of the newspaper reports of the day and go. assurance that the authorities at Annapolis would protect the rights of the black midshipman, it tended to accept the white midshipman's right to choose his own friends and to some extent overlook the injustices and prejudices which existed at the Academy by emphasizing the concerted attempt to bring hazing under control. While the Journal articles were considered editorial in nature, The New York Times articles tended to vacillate between valid reporting and editorializing and made it almost impossible to distinguish between fact and opinion.
Almost 40 years elapsed before another black was successfully appointed. James Lee Johnson, appointed by Representative A. W. Mitchell of Illinois, a black Democrat, entered on 16 June 1936, but was separated the following February for being academically deficient, physically unqualified, and for misconduct. The Times reported that Johnson's conduct mark was lowered as a result of being late for formation seven times and that Johnson was among 135 midshipmen who were asked to resign because of deficiencies in their studies. Mitchell conferred with Academy officials and then went to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, stating that Johnson had been "railroaded" out of the Academy and that he had evidence of "skullduggery." All 135 midshipmen were detained at the Academy pending the report of an investigation by the Academic Board. Mitchell was advised by the Academy that Johnson was deficient in deportment and had failed history and English. According to Secretary of the Navy, Claude A. Swanson, as stated in The New York Times, "nothing was found by the Board to warrant the retention of any of the 135 midshipmen. . . ." The case was considered closed. The Army and Navy Journal reported that the Navy Secretary was satisfied that Johnson had not been railroaded out of the Academy, that the findings of the Board reaffirmed its original findings and that President Roosevelt had been provided with a copy of the findings.
George J. Trivers was appointed the following year by Mitchell, but resigned after a stay of only three weeks. Mitchell, still unconvinced that Johnson had not been railroaded out of the Academy, announced that he would go to the Naval Academy to investigate. Referring to Johnson, Mitchell was quoted as saying "I want to get the facts in this case because another Negro I appointed was railroaded out. . . . They said that boy, James L. Johnson, Jr. was deficient as to eyesight, English, and deportment, all of which is a lie." Two days later, Mitchell announced that Trivers had resigned because he "could not do a midshipman's work" and "that there had been no unpleasantness surrounding Trivers' resignation."
By 1945, integration of the Navy had become a fact. The Navy had abolished all special regulations concerning the treatment of blacks in the forces afloat and ashore. The Bureau of Naval Personnel in 1944, issued a statement of general policy to the effect that it accepted no theories of racial differences in ability. Furthermore, every man would be treated in accordance with his individual capacity as determined by his performance.
The time was right for the appearance of Wesley A. Brown, appointed by Representative Adam Clayton Powell of New York. Brown had attended Howard University prior to entering the Academy on 30 June 1945. His first few months, however, were not without incident. In October 1945, Representative Powell complained to Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, that his black nominee "was not receiving fair and equal treatment." Powell had been informed that a "concerted effort is being made to bring about his dismissal, that his papers are being under-graded, and that he is not informed in advance concerning offenses for which demerits are to be given."
Powell apparently became convinced that his source of information was largely in error, as no further mention of the situation appeared in the Times. If such a "concerted effort" was a fact, it failed, and Brown continued at the Academy and became the first Negro to graduate. He was commissioned in the Civil Engineer Corps of the Navy and retired from active duty in 1969, after 20 years of service.
The color line had been broken, but Brown's graduation was not marked by a significant increase in Negro midshipmen during the next 15 years. No blacks were graduated again until the class of 1952, when Lawrence C. Chambers graduated with honors. Reeves R. Taylor was the only black graduate with the Class of 1953. Commencing with the Class of 1949, the first class with a black graduate, and including the class of 1969, 53 blacks have been appointed to the Academy and 36 have graduated, for a completion ratio of 67.9%. This compares reasonably with an average completion ratio of about 70% during the same period for Academy graduates as a whole. During that period, however, a total of about 17,500 midshipmen were graduated and commissioned, of whom only 36 were blacks, a ratio of only about 0.002%.
Since its establishment in 1845 by an Act of Congress, admittance procedures to the Naval Academy have been specified by law. The Congress always has carefully guarded its prerogative to appoint personally or to provide lists from which candidates are selected. This method of appointment has accounted for approximately 80% of the entering classes since 1964. The Congress has delegated to the President and the Navy Secretary authority to appoint the remaining 20%, and the Vice President, each Senator, each Representative, the Delegate to Congress from the District of Columbia, and the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico individually may appoint midshipmen in sufficient numbers to have a maximum of five in attendance at one time. The Governors of Puerto Rico and the Canal Zone may each have one midshipman and the Governors of the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa may collectively have one midshipman attending at any one time. These sources of appointments comprise about 80% of each entering class. The appointing official may nominate candidates by either of two methods. A principal and nine alternates, listed in order of preference, may be nominated. Lithe principal is fully qualified, he is offered the appointment. If not, the next designated alternate who does qualify is offered the appointment, or, the appointing official may elect to nominate ten competitors for each vacancy rather than a principal and nine alternates. In that event, the competitors are evaluated for the appointing official by the Academy and the best qualified is offered the appointment.
Evaluation by the Naval Academy is conducted by the Admissions Board, and is based on the "whole man" concept. A raw score falling within the score range is determined for each area being considered (College Board or ACT scores, high school class rank, extra curricular activities, and personal recommendations), and is weighed. The score obtained is used to rank qualified competitors and alternates in order-of-merit on their respective lists. Of the candidates evaluated by these criteria, all have previously been found to be qualified academically.
In 1964, the Congress created a new competitive category of 150 appointments to be selected in order-of-merit from Congressional-alternate nominations by the Secretary of the Navy. The number of appointments available to enlisted members of the Fleet was reduced from 320 to 170 by this action. This law increased the control of the Congress over 150 vacancies previously authorized by law to be filled by the Secretary of the Navy from sources other than Congressional.
Prior to 1950, there was no authorized procedure to fill last-minute, unused vacancies to bring the Brigade up to its allowed strength. In 1950, the Navy Secretary was given the discretion to nominate additional candidates to fill at least two-thirds of these vacancies from the list of qualified Congressional-alternate candidates. The remaining one-third could be filled from among candidates without Congressional-alternate status. In 1964, the Congress revised this provision to increase their control of these vacancies from two-thirds to three-fourths, thereby gaining control over 80% of the vacancies available. From sources other than Congressional, the Secretary of the Navy, acting for the President, may appoint 100 mid shipmen each year from among the sons and adopted sons of military personnel, officer and enlisted, of any branch of the U. S. Armed Services. The Secretary acting for the President may also have a maximum of 65 midshipmen attending at any one time who are sons of deceased or disabled veterans, or POWs or MIAs.
The Secretary may now appoint 85 enlisted men the Regular Navy and Marine Corps and 85 enlisted men of the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve each year, a total of 170 from this source. He may also appointed ten candidates from naval and military honor schools and ten from among the Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps units. The sons of Medal of Honor winners may be appointed without limit if otherwise qualified and a few foreign candidates are admitted each year as provided for by Congressional statute.
While the Presidential quota for sons of military personnel has been filled or exceeded each year, the Secretarial quota has not always been filled, indicating a lack of qualified candidates from this source. However, as is often the case, a candidate is able to secure nominations from more than one source (as many as five different sources are not uncommon).
Because of the latitude allowed the President and Secretary of the Navy in filling quotas from non-Congressional sources, the Presidential quota can be, and is usually, exceeded.
Because of space limitations at the Naval Academy, the authorized strength of the Brigade cannot be accommodated, and the number of midshipmen in residence has fallen short of the maximum authorized by an average of 225. Of the relatively small number of candidates who were qualified, but not offered appointments because of space limitations, none were blacks.
The competition among qualified candidates for appointments to each entering class has not been so keen as was commonly believed. There appears, in fact, to be a relative shortage of qualified candidates from all sources.
In July 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in a memo to Secretary of the Navy, Paul H. Nitze, noted that there were only nine blacks in the 4,100-man Brigade.
"I think this figure clearly indicates that there is some hesitancy on the part of qualified young Negroes to seek out an appointment or apply for admission to Annapolis.
"I would appreciate your letting me know of any ways you feel we might encourage Negroes to apply for and obtain admittance to the Academy."
In accepting the responsibility, the Secretary pointed out that the Navy had previously established contact with predominantly black schools in 1962 and 1963, when the Chief of Naval Personnel sent letters to over 100 presidents of predominantly black colleges and to more than 2,000 black high schools requesting that Navy recruiters be allowed to visit those institutions. The Secretary also discussed Navy cooperation with the Civil Rights Office of the Department of Defense to attract young blacks to the three Service academies, which included solicitations to over 100 school systems throughout the country in 1964 and about 1,300 principals of appropriate schools in 1965. The Secretary noted that the combined efforts during the previous two years had produced an annual input of 23 blacks to the three academies, which compared to an annual rate of 11 during the previous five years.
Other intensified efforts on the part of the Navy included visits to the Boards of Education of several large cities, contact with representatives of the black press, interviews with prominent black leaders to request support and guidance, and consultations with those Members of Congress who had agreed to assist in the appointment of blacks to the Academy.
Finally, the Secretary mentioned the hesitancy on the part of qualified blacks to seek admission to the Naval Academy due in large part to the numerous opportunities available, educational and industrial, in the United States. The Navy, even more significantly than the other services, found it difficult to compete because of the prospect of a career consisting of long at-sea deployments and the accompanying family separations.
The increased efforts to interest a larger number of minority group candidates, of which about 95% were blacks, raised many questions regarding emphasis on particular ethnic groups, standards, and methods of appointments. The increased complexity of naval technology had resulted in an increased requirement for highly qualified naval officers. Recruiting efforts designed to meet civilian competition had not resulted in tapping the reservoir of qualified blacks and this situation became a topic for discussion at the White House Conference to Fulfill the Rights of Minority Groups.
The members of the Conference determined, in part, that admission standards would not be lowered to accommodate any group, that quotas to the Naval Academy for any ethnic group had not been established nor contemplated, and that existing nomination procedures, as prescribed by law, would be followed.
Admission would continue to be based on the precedence of the highest qualified candidates competing for Secretarial appointments and established criteria for Congressional appointments.
During 1966, the Chief of Naval Personnel contacted all 38,000 high schools and junior colleges in the United States, requesting their assistance in making Naval Academy information available to their outstanding students. Similar letters were sent to selected large black high schools by the Director for Civil Rights of the Department of Defense. In addition, the Naval Academy wrote to over 1,200 black National Merit Scholars to interest them in the Academy. At the same time, Navy recruiters throughout the country were directed to identify, counsel, and encourage outstanding blacks to compete for nominations.
Minority group recruiting efforts for the class of 1970 identified 700 likely black candidates. After scholastic and medical examinations, the number was reduced to 38. The names of the prospective candidates were provided to the Under Secretary of the Navy, whose office contacted members of Congress and obtained nominations for 23 of the candidates. Of these 23, seven actually entered the Academy. An additional 37 candidates, who were considered in the program, but were not among the finalists whose names were submitted to the Under Secretary, obtained nominations without Navy assistance. Of this group, only two were fully qualified and actually entered the Academy. The remaining three blacks who entered with the class of 1970 were not identified by the recruiting program and obtained their nominations without Navy assistance.
Recruiting for the class of 1971 involved the processing of 4,193 possible minority group candidates, of whom 957 were contacted through the minority group program. Of the latter group, 72 received nominations, but only five were both academically and medically qualified and offered appointments. Four of these accepted appointments.
After the initial minority recruiting effort for the classes of 1970 and 1971, full responsibility for minority recruiting for the Academy was assigned to the Director of Recruitment and Candidate Guidance at the Naval Academy. As a result, no further minority group quotas have been assigned to the eight area Directors of Recruiting located throughout the United States.
A total of 787 members of minority groups were contacted in the 1968 recruiting period for the class of 1972. Of this group, 77 were encouraged to seek nominations. Eight were offered appointments and six accepted. Ten other black youths received appointments without Navy help. For the class of 1973, 620 black youths were identified and contacted. Of this group, 40 received nominations out of a total of 114 blacks nominated from all sources. Eighteen blacks actually entered with the class of 1973. Of this group only three were identified by the recruiting program It should be noted that in the last two years, four blacks have been admitted via the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) at Bainbridge, Maryland. These appointments resulted from another program initiated by the Navy Department in early 1968.
In a report to President Johnson, Acting Navy Secretary Baird discussed the problem of scholastic qualification as being one of the major obstacles to be overcome in the program to increase Negro enrollment, pointing out that of 787 prospective minority group candidates contacted in 1967, only 33 were scholastically qualified. Of this group, 17 Negroes were both medically and academically qualified.
In an effort to locate additional potential black candidates, the Navy, using its Personnel Accounting Machine Installation, conducted a survey of all enlisted men in the Navy to identify those members of minority groups who met the basic eligibility requirements for admission to NAPS. From the list of some 7,000 minority group personnel between the ages of 17 and 23, about 1,000 of the best qualified were identified as potential candidates for Project BOOST.
Project BOOST (Broadened Opportunities for Officer Selection and Training) was officially established on 11 January 1969, to prepare minority group personnel for officer candidate status by means of a special college preparatory course conducted at NAPS. The project was designed to permit promising minority group personnel to compete for appointments to the regular NROTC and the Naval Enlisted Science Education Program (NESEP) as well as the Naval Academy after completion of a maximum of two years at NAPS.
Letters were sent, via their commanding officers, to 809 of the 1,000 identified. Of the 220 who applied for entrance, 130 were both eligible and physically qualified. Letters were also sent to Upward Bound and Job Corps administrators asking that their enrollees be screened and applications be encouraged from the most promising volunteers who, if accepted, would be enlisted in the Naval Reserve and ordered to duty at NAPS.
The 1969 pilot group of 25 candidates included 21 blacks. Another 25 Navy enlisted minority group candidates were scheduled to be enrolled in the BOOST program in July 1970, of whom 23 were blacks.
The total effort on the part of the Navy Department to identify, process and attract potential minority group candidates, together with the BOOST program, has been a continuing one involving a considerable cost in manpower and money. Data on which to base a cost and manpower estimate was not available. However, within the Bureau of Naval Personnel organization, the Naval Academy, NAPS and including those black officers and midshipmen who have been periodically assigned to temporary duty in connection with recruiting black candidates, an estimated 90 to 110 people have been involved on a part-time basis each year since the inception of the program. The rather significant effort, in terms of manpower and monetary costs, has directly resulted in the increase of 30 black appointments during the last four years. The remaining 26 blacks appointed during the same period were not identified by the recruiting program and did not receive Navy assistance in obtaining appointments.
A total of 72 blacks were admitted with the Class of 1972. This represented 5.4% of the total membership, and as of 31 December 1972, only four, or 5.5% of this group had been separated. The Class of 1973 included an initial admission of 18 blacks, of whom six, or 33.3% had been separated as of 31 December 1972. The Class of 1974 included 21 blacks, of whom 11 had been separated by 31 December 1972. In the entering Class of 1975 were 44 blacks, of whom 11 or 25% had been separated by 31 December 1972.
In considering these four classes, 1972-1975, it is interesting to note that the loss rate through separation of the entire group is 25%, whereas the loss rate of the black midshipmen is only 19.4%.
The apparent paucity of qualified blacks and the limited enthusiasm toward the Naval Academy exhibited by those who are qualified has led to the continuing inadequate representation of blacks at the Academy. It is clear that the desired objectives are not being attained by the methods being used. The identification through the recruiting program and subsequent appointment of only three of a total of 18 blacks appointed to the class of 1973, further supports the contention that the original goals of the intensified recruiting program have not been consistently nor fully realized. However, an increase in minority group (primarily black) participation in the class of 1975, and those following, can be expected as graduates of the BOOST program become available.
Since Wesley Brown, the first black graduate (1949), an additional 34 blacks have graduated from the Academy, and all except one were commissioned.
Class standing at the Academy is computed using a weighted formula which reflects the marks received in academics, military aptitude, conduct and physical education—another application of the "whole man" concept. Of the 35 black graduates, eight (22.8%) stood in the upper third, ten (28.6%) in the middle third and 17 (48.6%) in the lower third of their respective classes. While class standing has often been an indication of future success, it has by no means proved to be the final determining factor.
Of 24 blacks commissioned, who are still alive and have completed their obligated service, two have been retired and 13 are presently on active duty. This ratio of 62.5% is believed to be a somewhat higher retention rate than that of Naval Academy graduates as a whole. The Navy and Air Force have lost a number of potentially outstanding black leaders to civilian enterprises, hopefully offset by the gain of significantly larger numbers of black career officers of equal caliber trained by civilian institutions.
It has only been since 1944 that the Navy, under pressure from its Chief Executives, has modified and finally reversed its policies of subordination and segregation of its black personnel. The Naval Academy, reflecting the attitude of the Navy Department and the country as a whole, felt no obligation toward the black other than to treat the few who somehow gained entrance strictly according to the letter, but not necessarily the spirit, of its regulations. There has been some indication, but no valid proof, that early midshipmen were intentionally mistreated by members of the administration or faculty in accordance with Academy policy. On the contrary, the research evidence supports the contention that the Academy administration exercised due care to prevent the mistreatment of its black midshipmen. However, since the bulk of the administration of military training and daily routine of the Brigade has traditionally been the province of the midshipman organization, particularly the members of the upper class, there were undoubtedly instances of mistreatment of black midshipmen by various members of the Brigade.
Concerted efforts by recent Superintendents to abolish hazing resulted in reasonably effective control of the problem. Hazing today is a very serious offense which can lead to dismissal. According to Naval Academy sources, there have been no instances reported of hazing of blacks or violations of the Plebe Indoctrination System involving blacks during the last few years.
Entrance qualifications are rigorous, higher than at West Point and the Air Force Academy, which use an aggregate score on the college board examination for qualifying candidates. The Naval Academy requires a minimum score in each subject area. Physical requirements are also somewhat higher at the Naval Academy. The higher entrance requirements, coupled with a less desirable career at sea, are considered to be largely responsible for the disparity in the number of blacks which has long existed at the Naval Academy compared to its sister academies at West Point and Colorado Springs.
Lowering of the entrance requirements and the establishment of minority group quotas were considered by the White House Conference to Fulfill the Rights of Minority Groups. Both of these proposed changes were rejected. The modern Navy requires highly qualified officers to man its complex ships and aircraft, and a lowering of the standards would not be in the best interest of the Navy or the United States. Consideration of the academic failure statistics, about 20% under the present entrance qualifications, further supports the need for continued high entrance requirements. The establishment of a minority group quota is considered undesirable and unnecessary. A quota system under existing conditions would lead to a lowering of the entrance requirements. Until such time as an excess of qualified black candidates can be induced to apply for appointments, a minority group quota without lowering entrance requirements is of only academic interest.
The minority recruitment program has been instrumental in effecting an increase in black enrollment. Whereas the number of entering candidates initially identified by the program decreased during 1969-1970, the fallout in terms of the widespread publicity associated with the efforts is believed to be largely responsible for the concurrent appointments of those blacks who obtained appointments without Navy assistance.
A further increase in black appointments is expected as more BOOST candidates become available. How ever, a substantial further increase is not anticipated within the next ten years because of the competition of the civilian sector for qualified Negroes, the lower entrance qualifications of West Point and the Air Force Academy, the prospect of long periods at sea, and the general low regard associated with a military career held by a large segment of youth today.
Today, the Naval Academy counts 125 black midshipmen among its Brigade total of 4,090, and both the nation and the Navy will observe their progress with hopeful interest.
A graduate of Occidental College in 1948, Lieutenant Commander Field was commissioned in June 1948 and designated a naval aviator in April 1950. During his 22-year career, he served with squadrons VR-3, VX-6, VAH-9, and VAH-3; in the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31), and on the Staff, ComFAir, Whidbey. He was an instructor of chemistry for two tours at the U.S. Naval Academy. He retired in July 1970 to teach at Hemet High School, Hemet, California.