The Golden Thirteen
How Black Men Won the Right to Wear Navy Gold
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5.0 • 4 Ratings
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- $1.99
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
The inspiring story of the 13 courageous Black men who integrated the U.S. Navy during World War II—leading desegregation efforts across America and anticipating the civil rights movement.
Featuring previously unpublished material from the U.S. Navy, this little-known history of forgotten civil rights heroes uncovers the racism within the military and the fight to serve.
Through oral histories and original interviews with surviving family members, Dan Goldberg brings thirteen forgotten heroes away from the margins of history and into the spotlight. He reveals the opposition these men faced: the racist pseudo-science, the regular condescension, the repeated epithets, the verbal abuse and even violence. Despite these immense challenges, the Golden Thirteen persisted—understanding the power of integration, the opportunities for black Americans if they succeeded, and the consequences if they failed.
Until 1942, black men in the Navy could hold jobs only as cleaners and cooks. The Navy reluctantly decided to select the first black men to undergo officer training in 1944, after enormous pressure from ordinary citizens and civil rights leaders. These men, segregated and sworn to secrecy, worked harder than they ever had in their lives and ultimately passed their exams with the highest average of any class in Navy history.
In March 1944, these sailors became officers, the first black men to wear the gold stripes. Yet even then, their fight wasn’t over: white men refused to salute them, refused to eat at their table, and refused to accept that black men could be superior to them in rank. Still, the Golden Thirteen persevered, determined to hold their heads high and set an example that would inspire generations to come.
In the vein of Hidden Figures, The Golden Thirteen reveals the contributions of heroes who were previously lost to history.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Goldberg debuts with a carefully documented chronicle of efforts to fully integrate the U.S. Navy during WWII. Prior to 1942, black men had been restricted to cooking and cleaning for white sailors. Pressured by civil rights leaders, the black press, and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, President Franklin Roosevelt pushed Navy Secretary Frank Knox (who believed that mixing black and white crews would "invite discord" aboard ships) to allow African Americans to train as quartermasters and electrician's mates. By September 1943, Goldberg writes, the politics of not commissioning black sailors as officers had become untenable. Sixteen candidates were selected for a secret 10-week training program and passed "with flying colors," though the navy only commissioned 12 (the 13th was made a warrant officer). Restricted from combat roles, the "Golden Thirteen" performed ably as commanders of logistics companies and harbor craft, proving that segregation had been both inefficient and unnecessary. Though the narrative drags somewhat the officer training program doesn't start until more than halfway through Goldberg skillfully interweaves his exhaustive account of the pressure campaign for equality with profiles of the individual sailors, showcasing their remarkable equanimity in the face of discrimination. This stirring portrait shines a well-deserved spotlight on a little-known victory in the fight for civil rights.
