Strong, Proud Black Women at West Point
By Vanessa De Luca
I wonder what Henry Ossian Flipper would think about the current controversy involving African-American women at West Point. Flipper, who was born a slave, was the first black graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, in 1877. Historians note that he endured much scrutiny and prejudice and was never spoken to by a white cadet during his four years there. Some might say that it is progress, then, that 17 black women cadets are candidates for graduation from the academy on May 21. How much progress? Not clear.
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As Brenda Sue Fulton, West Point’s chairwoman of the Board of Visitors, told the Army Times last week, West Point cadets have a tradition of taking “Old Corps” photographs where “different teams and groups get together on their own to mimic the high-collar, ultra-serious, photos of 19th century cadets.” Ms. Fulton, a 1980 West Point graduate, noted that the women took dozens of photos in different poses. West Point hasn’t identified the cadets and none has spoken about the controversy.
It is telling that of all the photographs the women took, the one of them with their fists raised was one widely circulated by media outlets. The photo might never have gone viral were it not for online accusations by John Burk, a white male Army veteran, who associated the raised fists with the “Black Lives Matter” movement and “the deaths of police officers.” Never mind if that was not what the women intended. Apparently Mr. Burk never even bothered to ask them. Because it seems that, in this instance, black women’s voices don’t matter.
I believe that these accomplished young women were innocently exercising their freedom of expression—an American freedom that they have proudly chosen to defend by serving in the armed forces. It is unnerving to think that their achievements will now be tainted by an accusation that may be baseless.
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Let’s see all of the “Old Corps” photos from the class of 2016—is everyone being held to the same standard? Will there ever be a time when black women can unapologetically show that they are strong, proud and supportive of one another without their actions being interpreted as an act of militant defiance?
More..
http://www.wsj.com/articles/strong-proud-black-women-at-west-point-1462833486
Ms. De Luca is the editor in chief of Essence magazine.
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Leaving aside "in this instance" which brings up a whole other matter, Mr. Burk exercised his right to rush to judgment, stereotype people, and determine causality from a single photograph. I suspect he has difficulty accepting women, especially black women, invading the macho domain of the armed services in a position of leadership and reacted viscerally. Then maybe that is what I am doing to Mr. Burk.
Seeing the photos of these accomplished women at a such significant time of their life made my heart sing. I wish the moment had not been tarnished for them.
