Between 1870 and 1899, only twelve Black cadets were admitted to the US military academy at West Point, and of those twelve, only three went on to graduate. Of the Black cadets who persevered, all faced relentless racial prejudice, hazing, ostracism, and silent treatment from their white peers. Today, Lindsay is joined by Lieutenant Colonel Rory McGovern to share stories of the early Black cadets who went through hell to try and obtain the prize of becoming an officer in the United States Army. Col. McGovern is the co-editor of Race, Politics, and Reconstruction: The First Black Cadets At Old West Point.Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Chapter 1: What is the focus of the American History Tellers podcast?
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Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts and embark on an unparalleled journey through America's most pivotal moments. Imagine it's June 7th, 1870, in West Point, New York. Two weeks have passed since you arrived at the U.S. Military Academy to prepare for your entrance exams.
You and the rest of your squad of prospective cadets are waiting for your turn to have your shoes shined in a crowded boot black shop. You and your roommate, Michael Howard, the only other black candidate, stand in the doorway at the back of the line. Behind you, a white candidate named McCord wanders back and forth on the porch.
You lock eyes with him as he uses a pocket knife to scrape dried mud off his boots. His stare is menacing, but you refuse to avert your gaze. He puts his knife in his pocket and walks towards you, his shoulder slamming into Howard's as he pushes his way into the shop. Move. Howard says nothing. You tap McCord on the shoulder.
Hey, watch it.
What did you just say? Howard shakes his head fiercely, silently warning you to be quiet. But you can't help yourself.
I said you better watch where you're going. I'll go wherever I please. Your friend should learn to get out of my way.
McCord steps forward and slaps Howard across the face. He stumbles, nearly losing his balance. You steady him and then turn back to McCord, clenching your fists. You feel the heat of the squad's stares.
What gives you the right to strike him? What gives me the right? I'm an officer in the United States Army. You're not an officer yet. You haven't even passed your entrance exam, same as the rest of us. And besides, officers don't strike their soldiers.
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Chapter 2: What challenges did Black cadets face at West Point in 1870?
Because in fact, in 1870, a majority of those who took the exam failed it, to include Michael Howard. James Webster Smith passed. I've seen the exam. It's hard. I would be surprised, actually, if modern students could pass the exam. But I've also seen the records on all the decisions leading up to the exam, and all the decisions about what the exam would look like and its level of difficulty.
were made not only well before Smith and Howard showed up, but also well before they were even nominated. I believe the historical record shows that this was just an overcorrection on the exam that made it hard for everybody and was not making it overly difficult for any one particular group.
So then at long last, we have our first Black cadet admitted to West Point. This is a long experience and a very difficult one for these men. They have to be nominated, then admitted, and then they have to endure several years of mistreatment and rigorous classes, and then they actually have to graduate. In total, how many completed this gauntlet?
West Point ran on a very attritional model. It wasn't just the entrance exam. It was the whole academic program was incredibly attritional. Picture that for this window from 1870 to 1889, that this is the window of West Point's first experience with racial integration. For the first half of that, with one exception, all the nominations are coming out of the South.
And the vast majority of those young Black men being nominated from the South started their lives in a state of slavery, which imposed unbelievable limitations on their education. So when you think of the handicap that they have even taking an entrance exam, that's already a tritting close to 50% of their white counterparts who do not have an enslaved upbringing.
When you picture that, it's going to take an almost superhuman effort to overcome that deficit. There were, between 1870 and 1889, 27 young black men who we know of were nominated, 12 gained admission to the academy, and only three graduated.
Hey, I'm Cassie DePeckel, the host of Wondery's podcast Against the Odds. In our next season, I'm telling the story of four American rock climbers who were kidnapped by rebel militants in the remote mountains of Kyrgyzstan. The group was taken at gunpoint and forced to hike through brutal terrain under the cover of night to avoid detection by the Kyrgyz army.
With little to no food or water provided by their captors, the young climbing team had to struggle through severe dehydration and hunger. Finally, they realized they would have to fight for their lives to escape. It's a thrilling story of survival in the face of violence and terror and doing whatever it takes to make it home alive.
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