The Golden 13: Pioneering Black Naval Officers of WWII

This episode features the incredible story of the Golden 13, the first African American officers in the United States Navy during WWII. Initially, the Navy did not have any black officers despite the presence of nearly 100,000 black sailors. In 1944, 16 black enlisted men were given only eight weeks to complete a training that typically lasted 16 weeks for their white counterparts. The intense pressure to fail did not deter them; instead, they excelled, achieving the highest scores ever recorded in naval history at the time. Despite their qualifications, only 13 were commissioned, a decision indicative of the racial challenges they faced. Their legacy paved the way for future African Americans in the military, fostering hope and setting new standards of excellence.