HENRY OSSIAN FLIPPER - AN AFRICAN AMERICAN SOLDIER : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

Henry Ossian Flipper an African American Soldier former slave born on 21st March 1856  and died 3rd May  1940  was the first African American to graduate from th United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877 earning a Commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. Following Flippers Commission he was transferred to one of the all black regiments serving in the U.S. Army which were historically led by white officers: Assigned to a troop under the command of Captain Nicholas M, Nolan, he became the first non-white officer to lead the Famous Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry.  Flipper served with competency but was hunted by rumors alleging improprieties. At one point he was court martialed and dismissed from the U.S. Army. 

After losing his commission in the army Flipper work through out Mexico and Latino America and as an Assistance to the Secretary Of The Interior. He retired to Atlanta in 1931 and died of Natural causes in 1940.  In 1994 his descendant applied to the U.S. Military for a review of Flipper court martial and dismissal. The review found that the conviction and punishment were unduly harsh and unjust and recommended that Flipper dismissal be changed to a good conduct discharge. Flipper was Pardon on 19th February 1999 by President Bill Clinton, a disgraceful wrong which may have been motivated by racism and discrimination in those dark days has finally been corrected.