First Black man to attend US Naval Academy honored in Charleston 150 years later | Military Digest
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on November 15, 2022
When 16-year-old James Henry Conyers left Charleston in 1872, no one who looked like him had ever been where he was going. Conyers' arrival at the U.S. Naval Academy, following his nomination by a South Carolina congressman, marked the first time a Black man would enroll there.
He was first, and he was alone. White classmates tormented him. Conyers endured repeated beatings and verbal abuse. Once, classmates tried to drown him.
After a year, he'd had enough. Conyers returned to Charleston and made a living as a ship caulker. His legacy . . .
