U.S. Army & West Point for an African American Officer (1940s-1970s)

(Previously Aired on 11/10/2020) Col. Clifford Worthy, the great-grandson of slaves, was one of the first African-American men of his generation to be accepted and excel as a Black Knight of the Hudson, a traditional nickname for West Point cadets.

In the late 1940s, the doors to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were closed to most young African-American men. The few who had attended before were subjected to relentless abuse and few survived. Worthy took the chance of reaching out to U.S. Rep. John Dingell Sr., who had been a proud part of the New Deal in Washington, D.C., and was ready to unlock closed doors.

Col. Clifford Worthy’s commitment to faith, family, and service included his loving support of his son Mark, who was born with developmental disabilities at a time when they were not widely understood. That part of this  ...