They’ve set another record!
For the third time in its 220-year-history, West Point has graduated a high number of Black women cadets.
Since 2014, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point has made intentional efforts to create a more diverse and inclusive campus. By 2017, numbers had already begun increasing and in 2019, they made history with their most diverse class yet, 34 of the graduating members being Black women. In 2020, they did it again, the numbers steadily increasing with 38 of the 1,017 West Point graduates being Black women cadets. Now West Point has set another historic milestone, and for the third time in the school’s 220-year-history, they have graduated a historic high of Black women cadets.
“West Point’s class of 2022 has 40 Black women graduates! Congratulations to the class of ’22 and welcome to the Long Gray Line,” Belinda Kendall, CEO and founder of Promise Media Group, posted on LinkedIn.
One of the graduates also took to TikTok to share behind the scenes video of the annual photo shoot for the Black women graduates.
“Every year at my college the graduating class of Black women take a photo together. This year, our graduating class has the most Black women to graduate in USMA history. This has been a journey paved with a lot of tears, love, and community….Graduation is [tomorrow]!,” user Jei.ByDesign wrote alongside the video.
@jei.bydesign Graduation is tmrw! ❤️ #blackgraduates #blackwomenexcellence #blackwomengraduate #usma #unitedstatesmilitaryacademy #army #westpoint #blackhistory #makingblackhistory #loveablackwomanfrominfinity #chocolatesisters ♬ Peng Black Girls Remix – ENNY & Jorja Smith
Shalela Dowdy, a West Point alum, previously spoke about the increase at West Point in graduating Black women cadets, saying, “There were only 13 in my class, I just counted, but the numbers keep going up and up. It’s encouraging and inspiring to see leaders graduating from the school that are from all different kinds of backgrounds and represent the diversity of the army itself. It makes me feel prideful that the academy is acknowledging diversity.”
Congratulations, to all of the graduates! Third times a charm!
Photo Courtesy of Belinda Kendall/LinkedIn