Arkansas Gov. Faubus sends Nat'l Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine from entering high school 1957

In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of schools was unconstitutional, but integration did not come easily. 

In 1957, nine black students attempted to enroll at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas.  On September 4, 1957, Governor Faubus mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the students from entering, preventing integration.  To "preserve the peace". 

The nine students were physically and mentally abused by the white students, but they persevered.  President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army, then later, federalized the Arkansas National Guard and ordered them to support the integration and protect the black students.

Celebrating Pride Month: Alan G. Rogers, first openly gay casualty of Operation Iraqi Freedom

Major Alan Greg Rogers, born September 21, 1967, was the first known gay combat fatality of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  He was an ordained pastor, an intelligence officer and an activist in the LGBT military community.  He was killed by an improvised explosive device in Baghdad on January 27, 2008.

It was only after his death when it was revealed that he was and had worked to end the military's "Don't Ask. Don't Tell." policy.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Robert Stewart!

Robert Stewart, born August 13, 1942, in Washington, DC, is a veteran of two space flights.

His first mission was aboard Challenger (STS-41-B) as mission specialist in February 1984.  He performed the first untethered EVAs with fellow astronaut Bruce McCandless.

His second and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-51-J) as mission specialist in October 1985.  The mission carried a payload for the Department of Defense.

Stewart is a retired brigadier general of the US Army. 

Celebrating Black History Month: Roscoe Robinson, Jr., first African-American four-star general in the US Army

Roscoe Robinson, Jr., born October 11, 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, is the first African-American to become a four-star general in the U.S. Army.  He graduated from the US Military Academy in West Point, with a degree in military engineering in 1951.

He served in the Korean War and received the Bronze Star.  He served in the Vietnam War and received the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and two Silver Stars.

Robinson was promoted to Brigadier General in 1975 and became Commanding General of the US Army Garrison in Okinawa.  He was promoted to Major General in 1976 and became a four-star general in 1982.

When he retired in 1985, he was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

He passed away from leukemia in 1993.

Gordo, squirrel monkey, launched 1958

Gordo, a squirrel monkey was launched by the US Army December 13, 1958.  His rocket reached an altitude of 500 km, but a "mechanical error" prevented the parachutes from opening upon re-entry.  The rocket crashed into the south Atlantic Ocean and Gordo's body was never found.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Charles Gemar!

Charles "Sam" Gemar, born August 4, 1955 in Yankton, South Dakota, is a veteran of three space shuttle missions and obtain the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army.

His first mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-38) as mission specialist in November 1990.  The flight carried a classified payload into space for the Department of Defense.

His second flight was aboard Discovery (STS-48) as mission specialist in September 1991.

His third and final flight was aboard Columbia (STS-62) with fellow astronaut/birthday twin Andrew Allen.

Gemar has spent over 24 days in space.

Celebrating Black History Month: Parren Mitchell, first African-American representative from Maryland

Parren Mitchell, born April 29, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland, became the first African-American Representative from Maryland.  After high school, he joined the U.S. Army in 1942 as a commissioned officer and company commander in the all-black 92nd Infantry Division in WWII.  He earned a Purple Heart for his service in Italy.

In 1950, he sued the University of Maryland for admission and became the school's first African-American graduate student, with a MA in sociology in 1952.

He was elected to Congress in the election in 1970 and sworn into Congress in 1971.  He served until 1987.

In 1977, he proposed transferring $15M from the military budget for programs to increase employment in the U.S. He is quoted as saying,

“I have no great fear of the Soviet Union or China,” Mitchell remarked. “If this democracy should ever fail it will come from within because of the enormous disparity between the rich and the poor.”

His words are applicable now more than ever.

Celebrating Black History Month: William Carney, first African-American awarded Medal of Honor

William Harvey Carney, born February 29, 1840 in Norfolk, Virginia, is the first African-American to be awarded the Medal of Honor.  During the Battle of Fort Wagner in March 1863, while serving in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, their color guard was killed.  Carney retrieved the U.S. flag, keeping it from hitting the ground.  He continued  to march forward with it despite being shot in the arm and the leg.

He received an honorable discharge in June 1864 due to becoming disabled from his wounds.  Since his heroic actions preceded those of other medal honorees, he is considered to be the first black man to receive the Medal of Honor, which he received in May 1900, thirty seven years after his actions.

He passed away in 1908.

Celebrating Black History Month: Henry Flipper, first African-American to graduate from the U.S. Military Academy

Former slave Henry Ossian Flipper became the first African-American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877 and the first to receive a commission as an officer, second lieutenant, in the U.S. Army.   He was assigned to one of the all-black regiments, typically led by white officers.

He was accused of stealing money from a safe.  Fearing it was a setup, he tried to hide the discrepancy and lied about it when he was confronted.  He was court-martialed and dishonorably discharged.

Many believed he was set up and a review of his court-martial determined his conviction and punishment were "unduly harsh and unjust". President Bill Clinton pardoned him posthumously in February 1999.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Nancy Curie-Gregg!

Nancy Jane (Sherlock) Currie-Gregg, born December 29, 1958 in Wilmington, Delaware, is a veteran of four Space Shuttle flights.  She is a colonel in the U.S. Army.

Her first flight was on Endeavour (STS-57) as mission specialist June-July 1993. She operated the shuttle's robotic arm.

Her second flight was on Discovery (STS-70) in July 1995 as mission specialist.  She conducted biomedical and remote sensing experiments.

She traveled on Endeavour (STS-88) December 1998 as part of the International Space Station assembly.  She operated the robotic arm during space walks.

Col. Currie-Gregg's final mission was on Columbia (STS-109) in March 2002, to service the Hubble Space Telescope, again operating the shuttle's robotic arm.

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Richard Cavazos, first Hispanic 4-Star General

Richard Edward Cavazos, born in Kingsville, Texas January 31, 1929, is the U.S. Army's first Hispanic 4-Star General.  After studying at the U.S. Army Command and Staff College, the British Army Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College and the U.S. Army War College, he received basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia (I've been there!).  He was deployed to Korea with the 65th Infantry, which consisted of mostly of Puerto Rican natives.

He was awarded the Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during the Korean War. 

In the Vietnam War, he was lieutenant colonel and was commander of the 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry.  He was awarded a second Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic actions during an attack at Loc Ninh near the Cambodian border.

In 1976, he became the first Hispanic to attain the rank of brigadier general in the Army and in 1982, became the first Hispanic to become a 4-Star General.

His brother, Lauro Cavazos, is the first Hispanic to serve in the U.S. Cabinet, where he was Secretary of Education under Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.


I could not find any videos of Gen. Cavazos, but he is mentioned in this clip, which shows how distinguished his heritage is!