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A commission opened a door. Assignments and command could still be restricted.
Expanded history4 sourced episodes
Black Americans pressed for officer training, earned commissions and led units within segregated services. These Army and Marine Corps examples distinguish an individual commission from the later policy and work of service integration.
Field records. A connection to your workplace needs its own evidence.
Scope & research limits
Four episodes in Army and Marine Corps service and federal policy. They do not establish the commissioning, assignment or promotion history of every branch or unit.
June–October 191701
Advocacy secures an Army officer-training camp for Black candidates
W. E. B. Du Bois, the NAACP, Howard University advocates and the Fort Des Moines candidates
On October 15, 639 graduates received commissions and subsequently served in the United States and France.
Where to look Order transcript, sections 1–4; introduction on the Fahy Committee
01
ORIGIN / Institutions in this record
Context & scope
Training, commissions and integration
World War I through service integration
Context, scope & sources
The Army’s training camp at Fort Des Moines prepared Black officers during World War I. The armed services later integrated under federal policy. Training and commissioning remained military functions as the rules governing access changed.
Officer candidates enter through several routes, including service academies, ROTC and officer candidate schools. The service sets training and eligibility requirements and awards the commission. College admission alone does not confer officer status.
These figures describe the published military officer occupation. A separate measure would be needed for your specific job title.
Active-duty commissioned officers
Black maleBlack female
Coverage 2014–2023. Dots mark reported years. Gaps stay open.
2014–2021 definition. Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army did not report a multiracial category.
2022 definition. Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army did not report a multiracial category.
2023 definition. Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army reports multiracial officers separately in this edition.
Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army did not report a multiracial category.
Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army did not report a multiracial category.
Black is the published race category, with Hispanic ethnicity tabulated separately. Men or women divided by all active-component commissioned officers in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force at fiscal year-end. Reserve, warrant and Coast Guard officers are outside the denominator. The Army reports multiracial officers separately in this edition.
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