The Legacy of The Golden Thirteen
How thirteen trailblazers left an indelible imprint on America’s fabric.
In the above photo, the Golden Thirteen can be seen. They were photographed March 17, 1944. Top row: John Walter Reagan, Jesse Walter Arbor, Dalton Louis Baugh, Frank Ellis Sublett. Middle row: Graham Edward Martin, Charles Byrd Lear, Phillip George Barnes, Reginald E. Goodwin. Bottom row: James Edward Hair, Samuel Edward Barnes, George Clinton Cooper, William Sylvester White, Dennis Denmark Nelson.
The Golden Thirteen were the the first African Americans commissioned and warrant officers in the United States Navy in 1944. Until the end of World War I, the United States did not permit African Americans to hold title but relegated them to general service duties. They were barred from joining from 1919 to 1932. From 1893 onwards, African Americans were barred from joining from 1919 to 1932. From 1893 forward, African Americans were only allowed to join the Navy’s Messman’s and Steward’s branches which segregated African Americans from the rest of the Navy community and prevented them from becoming commissioned officers.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt became the president who turn around these racist acts of denial for these navy men. In 1941, he signed the executive order 8802 prohibiting ethnic and racial discrimination by federal agencies or contractors involved in the defense industry.
After the protest of 1942 by the Civil Rights leaders and the Black Press, the Navy allowed Black men into the general service ratings for the first time.
First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Assistant Secretary of the Navy Adlai Stevenson applied pressure in 1944 and the Navy began an officer training course for 16 African-American enlisted men at Camp Robert Smalls, Recruit Training Center Great Lakes aka Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois.
The powers that be doomed them to failure by reducing their normal training period of 16 weeks to 8 weeks for the Blacks cadets. When the cadets realized they were doomed for failure, they applied themselves 200%. The cadets would cover up the windows of their barracks and studied all night. When tested, the entire group passed with high marks. The chain of command upset because the all-Black cadet class pass and got higher scores than an all-white one were indemnified and force the Black cadets to retake the test. Again, all 16 passed. The class average at graduation was 3.89.
Per Wikipedia, allthough all sixteen members of the class passed the course, only twelve were commissioned in March 1944: Jesse Walter Arbor (1914–2000), Phillip George Barnes (1909–1949), Samuel Edward Barnes (1915–1997), Dalton Louis Baugh Sr. (1912–1985), George Clinton Cooper (1916–2002), Reginald Ernest Goodwin (1907–1974), James Edward Hair (1915–1992), Graham Edward Martin (1919–2006), Dennis Denmark Nelson (1907–1979), John Walter Reagan (1920–1994), Frank Ellis Sublett (1920–2006), and William S. White (1914–2004) were commissioned as Ensigns; Charles Byrd Lear (1916–1946) was appointed as a Warrant Officer. Augustus Alves, J.B. Pinkney, and Lewis “Mummy” Williams also passed the exam but were not given commissions. The reason why only 13 gained rank, despite all the men being successful in training was never explained, but it is noted that this rate brought the pass-rate down to the level of the average class of white candidates.
The Navy, and the United States has done much harm to Blacks due to the color of their skins. Had the Golden Thirteen been white, there would probably have been some yearly memorial celebrating their accomplishments and contribution to the Navy. The Navy policy barred Blcks from being assigned to combat ships, the first class of Black officers were assigned to command shore logistics units, small tug and tender ships, and training African American enlisted.
Desegregation in the U.S. Military was due to President Harry S. Truman in 1948. At the time of the Golden Thirteen’s commissioning, there were about 100,000 African American men serving in the United States Navy’s enlisted ranks..
The Golden 13 went on to having successful careers in and out of the military. Some became athletic director, executive committee officer, instructior of the Navy Engineering School, Public Affair Officer, and judgeship. Their contribution stretches near and far from the walls of Navy to the walls of high civilian lives. The last member of the Golden 13, Frank E. Sublett, died in 2006. In 1987, the U.S. Navy dedicated a building in their honor at Great Lakes Naval Recruit Training Command, Illinois for the seven living members. Today, Building 1405 at RTC Great Lakes, where recruits first arrived for basic training, is named “The Golden Thirteen” in their honor. In 2006, in North Chicago ground was broken on a World War II memorial honoring the Golden Thirteen.
In conclusion, the U.S. Navy finally attempted to make a wrong right. America needs to learn from its mistakes of the past as teachable moments for the future. These teaching moments should include that everyone matters and no race is better or less than another. It is time to stop the hate and let go of the Napoleon complex.
