The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23

compel the white midshipmen to re-
ceive Holley as their equal.
In conclusion here are brief ref
erences to the careers of the negro
boys who have. since the Civil war,
entered West Point.
OF the 10 negroes who were ad-
mitted to West Point three gradu-
ated The other 10 were all dis
| charged following academic careers
that lasted from a few weeks to a
few years. The first negro appoint
ed to West Point was 1ohn w.
Smith of South Carolina. Ne entered
in 1870 and remained more than
three years before his name was
dropped from the roll. Two years
later two other negroes, Henry A.
Napier of Tennessee end T. V. Gibbs
OF Florida, received West Point nom
| nations. Napier remained a few
months and Gibbs little less than
a year. Both are listed in the Off
cial records as having been dis
charged.
II. o. Flipper of Georgia was the
first negro to weather the full course
at West Point. He entered in 1873
and was graduated with the class of
1871 In 1882, five years after his
graduation, Flipper was dismissed
from the service The official rec
ord simply relates the fact that he
was court -martiaied and found gull
ty of conduct "unbecoming an Off
Ger and a gentleman.
John w. Williams OF Virginia was
nominated for West Point in 1S73.'
He entered in 1854 and was dis
charged one year later. ]. c. Whit
aSer of South Carolina, whose career
at the academy on the Hudson be-
came somewhat OF an issue at the
time, entered in the stormy year OF
1876, the year in which Hampton
redeemed South Carolina from car
pet-bag rule. on the records the
word discharged" appears after his
name.
The first northern negro to receive
a West Point appointment was c. a.
Minnie of New York. He entered
the corps in 1877 and remained a
little less than one year before he
was dropped. The next negro on the
| West Point list was j. II. Alexander
of Ohio, who was graduated in 1887.
| He died in 1894 This was the West
Point class in which two negroes
went the full route. The other was
Charles Young, also of Ohio. Young
became in due course of time colo
mel. lie died short time ago.
There were three other negroes at
West Point at the time Young and
Alexander were there. They were
w. Il. Andrews and II. W. Holloway
or South Carolina and William A.
Hare OF Ohio. All were discharged
within a year after their admission.
| The thirteenth and last named on
the list is that OF j. y. Alexander OF
Ohlo. He received his appointment
so recently as 1918 The record in
his case simply states that I'm that
same year he was discharged
| whether he was related to the Alex
ander OF the class of 1887 is not dis
closed In the official data. The COM
ing and going OF the second Alexan-
der was apparently a matter that
| was kept very quiet. Ono report is
that while he passed the examina-
ton and was listed as member of
the corps, he failed to report.
In every one OF the instances in
which a negro has sought an army
career by the West Point route the
academy experience OF the colored
boy has been the same. 1t was al.
ways coventry" The authorities
gave him square deal; the cadets
left him severely 20 himself. The
tact that OF tho l3 disclosed by the
records only three graduated tells
Its own story. Young, who became
colonel, was admitted generally 10
De good officer, a well-behayed
ana modest man. But Young's en-
IRE service when in the field was
with negro troops. apd when not as
signed to field duty he served as at
tache In Liberia or Haiti. or was
given other assignments where the
matter OF color would not be a bar
! rier to the discharge Of his duties.