On this date in 1870, James Webster Smith became the first Black cadet to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point. However, he faced severe racism, isolation, and harassment from fellow cadets and officers. Smith was eventually dismissed in 1874 before he could graduate.
The first Black cadet to successfully graduate from West Point was Henry Ossian Flipper in 1877.
© 2025 KnowThyHistory.com. Know Thy History
