The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-04-23
OLD COLOR ISSUE
STIRS ANNAPOLIS
Negro's Appointment by
n. Y. Representative
Revives Old Row
OSTRACISM HIS FATE
1
Cases of Other Appointees
bRecalled; Midshipmen
Stunned Presence

Cd Emile Treville Holley, negro
auder. Of the College OF the City of
Nsw rrk, to be n midshipman at
ANNAPOLIS, his act spread consterna-
lion al Annapolis and in any navy
eeneraly. Already weeks in ad-
vance Of Holleys possible appear
ance at the academy It is safe to say
,ba; the midshipmen have con-
demncd him to coventry" just as
nearly fifty years ago the midship-
men ~ 1873, 1874 and 1875 refused
~ receive as EQUALS three other me-
sro boys who sought careers as Off
GERS Of The American navy.
Naval officers will not talk for
publication on this matter. nor will
The mldshipmen. But in private con-
yersa,ion, in letters to friends. they
express their opinions. on the part
Of the officers the feeling is that an
boy. So far as the midshipmen are
concerned, the fate that awaits The
candidate Is social ostracism.
II Holley passes the entrance ex-
animation and qualities as mid
shipman, he will be the first negro
to be admitted to Annapolis since
1874 one other negro Is said to
have won an appointment since that
time, but IL so his case is not of rec
ord. because he did not report.
Official records. as we'll as the Of
fcers who were midshipmen in those
days. tell the story of three negro
midshipmen of. the early seventies.
rark Benjamih's History OF An
.mpolis" relates the facts, and In
tch instance the facts spelled "os-
nacism."
One of the negro mldshipmen
whose name and story have come
down through the years was w. s.
Conyers of South Carolina, who re-
ceiyed a political appointment TO the
academy so years ago and who en-
tered with the class that was gradu-
ated in 1877. This class included
william S. Benson. who was chief
OF operations during the great war;
Albert Gleaves, who directed the
overseas transportation of more
than 100000 American soldiers in
1917 and 1918; Albert Grant. who
commanded the submarines, and
Fullam, Heath, Fechteler and 9TH
ers, all of whom won distinction as
naval officers.
Naval Officers Comment.
A few days ago one of the officers
who was a midshipman when Con-
yers came to the academy in 1873
said:
In those days the Civil war was
still fresh memory in the minds
Of every boy in the academy. The
southerners. in the brigade of mid
shipmen were few in number. The
section feeling was never more in
tense and reconstruction was near
ing its peak. For these reasons the
southernrrs kept away from the
naval academy during those first
postwar years.
Now as to Conyers. He was a
Wel-behaved negro. He was of more
than ordinary intelligence and he
came undoubtedly convinced that at
least the northern midshipmen would
welcome him His disappointment
was all the greater when he found
ne was to be ostracized.
VI course / recognize that q
member OF congress has a perfect
right to appoint negro to Annapo-
u.s. But speaking without prejudice
II does seem to me that n senator or
congressman when he does feel in
consider what that negro will have
10 face at the academy. If ostra-
asn was so com,iete I'm the years
Immediately following the Civil war.
when sectional feeling ran so high,
imagine what the situation will be
now when the fun proportion of
soutnern boys are in the brigade of
Hidshlpmen, with southern officers
exercising high command.
90 II can be stated with absolute
tElalhty that II this New York ne
Doy goes to Annapolis--and
roih what | read In the newspapers
imagine he will-he will receive
we same treatment that, nearly fifty
TeaIs ago. was accorded Conyers.
mat he VIII be sent to coventry" is
certain as the sun will rise to-
morrow morning. And IL he gradu-
sues 10 you imagine that any secre-
My OF the navy is going to assign
IN I'm 70 command white blueiacke cts?
course not. for that would mean
shLSuoordination at the least on any
ssapt p 10 which the negro might be
r,hA And II he should go to a battle
mt. cruiser or any other naval
sn'' does anyone imagine for n mo-
ment that white officers are going
=, welcome him? This is n matter
Or splain speaking, and only the
uuth counts. There Is not a ward
Voul IN the American navy where
mmpusro OFFICER would be welcomed.
neiore he had been In the acad-
- hours, Conyers realized that
Gu. tar as the midshipmen were con-
,o,tu--and the great majority were
hru.helh boys whose fathers and
anSHers ava mad fought for the Union
'I 70 tree such as Conyers-he was
slohs apart. n man who stood
ginnv, one condemned from the be-
''''n'hg TO social isolation.
Left TO Himself.
me midshipmen as a whole-I
tln. Ihlnk there was a single excep-
bY-Ieit the negro to himself. No
nla.aain being. was ever more COM
hs.y ostracized. He was not even
,u, Tor that would have been to
eNtent a recognition of his stand
~ lhe brigade. For a year Con-
stood the silence He attend
Ssuh hls classes, no ate In the mess
dr,n win the other midshlpmen. he
srllled with them. but no one ever
elal duty al N'o VI oiii-
mr. rhe academy authorities, on the
seer seer hand. treated Conyera with
thaupnlous fairness. honestly believe
WIZ ne was treated more literally,
tbh u came to grading, than were
tbe white mldshipmen. SO far as
cer, o,tlcers in command were con-
tbaeu' they buried any prejudices
Co.., may have entertained and gave
,"3efs square deal Rut that