BHS Day 5: The Golden Thirteen

Hi! Every Wednesday this month is reserved for Black pioneers in the military, technological or scientific sectors. There are so many Black firsts in these fields, more so the technology and science fields, that I could fill the next 5 years of Spotlights and still have more names to feature. Today we focus on the military entrant. I don't have quite as many names to choose from with this one as the other categories, but I love this third of the Spotlight because the military achievements are always so special. They're impactful because so many of those firsts came when Blacks hadn't even achieved freedom yet, or when our freedom was in its infancy. There's something so awesome about being undervalued and underestimated, still finding a way to persevere, and coming out of it having paved a huge path for those who follow. 

One of the main reasons why Black History Month has taken on new importance to me as an adult is because as I learn about more and more of our predecessors, our ancestors and our groundbreakers, the more I admire them. They knew their decisions were going to affect future generations. They left their comfort zones of familiarity and carried the future of the entire race on their backs, hoping that future generations would continue to march forward where they left off. In a way, we're still doing that, but the novelty and responsibility of having to be the first to do so is squarely with the previous generations of pioneers. That is courage, determination and fortitude at levels that will always have my respect, gratitude and admiration. And with that being said, let me hop off my soapbox and tell you about today's brave military pioneers, who made great strides in Black military achievement at a time when the military--and country--was still largely segregated. 

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Name: The Golden Thirteen, 1944

Profession: Naval officers

Why is the Spotlight on them today? For being the first commissioned officers in the Navy and getting past the difficult criteria in order to do so

Brief history: --Were part of the first 2 month commissioned officers' training course after the then-First Lady and Assistant Secretary of the Navy were pressured to create it following the passing of a discrimination law
--Were a large piece of the puzzle in allowing racial integration and breaking barriers for Blacks, who were not allowed to become officers and could only do smaller jobs
--After everyone came together to help each other pass the class (the requirement was that everyone needed to pass), the original 16 men were able to graduate with an average of 3.89, an average that may not yet be broken
--The Golden Thirteen were the thirteen who, after graduating the course, were then officially promoted to officer; the other three passed but never became officers, the reason for which was never made public but suspected to be because the Navy didn't want Whites thinking the Black soldiers were performing better than them
--Still had to deal with prejudice after becoming officers, only being assigned to menial tasks and purposely being kept off of combatant ships, but were able to train Black soldiers, oversee all-Black units in logistics 
--Ceased to exist following the war as 12 went to civilian life and the remaining soldier made the Navy his career, but all continued spreading their legacy in interviews, books and holding reunions for the unit
--Were honored by having Building 1405 at Recruit Training Center Great Lakes, where they trained, renamed "The Golden Thirteen," and a photo of them hung at the entrance
--Helped move the ball on racial desegregation in the Navy, which eventually desegregated military housing and eliminating the assignation of specific jobs Blacks were still being assigned to
--Were posthumously honored with a World War II memorial in North Chicago
Further reading links: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Quote of the Day:
"Many of us are able to succeed in the Navy today because the Golden Thirteen and many other brave men and women paved the way and set a standard each of us can aspire to meet. Through the courage, persistence, and commitment of the Golden Thirteen and their successors, doors have been opened."

--LT Candace Holmes

Today's organization: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

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What does this organization provide? Support and advocacy for civil and human rights for all Americans in order to create an open and fair society. They lobby for all civil rights laws and have done so since the Civil Rights Movement in order to increase justice, inclusion and fairness for anyone affected by civil/human rights law changes. They help with immigration, justice reform and voter disfranchisement in a number of ways: demanding impartiality in the courts, fighting for racial fairness on all levels of government, increasing immigrant right education, ending voter discrimination and helping refugee families stay together after entering America. 

Ways to Give | Ways to Take Action

See you tomorrow!