At Start of Black History Month, Norton Introduces Bill to Award Congressional Gold Medal the First 13 African American Officers in the U.S. Navy

WASHINGTON, D.C. - At the beginning of Black History Month, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) reintroduced a bill to award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to the "Golden Thirteen," which were the first 13 African American officers in the United States Navy. In 1944, 16 African American men completed the required training course to become officers and passed their exams. Twelve of those men were commissioned as officers and a 13^th was made a chief warrant officer, while no reason was given by the Navy as to why the remaining three men did not receive the commissions they had earned.

"These officers passed their exams with high marks, despite being given half the standard amount of training time," Norton said. "When the group was accused of cheating and were forced to retake their exams, these men passed once again and scored higher on the exam than the first time, ultimately earning the highest average of any class in Navy history at the time. These men served their country honorably, even with the challenges against them. They oversaw all-Black units and the training of Black recruits. It's time now that we honor these brave men with a Congressional Gold Medal to thank them for their service."

Norton's introductory statement follows.

Statement of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton

on the Introduction of the Golden Thirteen Congressional Gold Medal Act

February 2, 2026

Today, I introduce the Golden Thirteen Congressional Gold Medal Act. This bill would award a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal to the 13 men who became the first African American commissioned and warrant officers in the United States Navy.

In 1944, the Navy began officer training for 16 African American men. At that time, there were no African American officers in the Navy. These 16 men were expected to complete their officer training in eight weeks, even though officer training was normally 16 weeks.

These 16 men supported each other, including by placing blankets over their windows and studying as a group by flashlight at night. Each brought to the group his own expertise to help the others.

When their officer training was completed, all 16 passed their exams. With some claiming that the group must have cheated, the group was forced to retake certain exams, and the group scored even higher. The average grade for the group was 3.89 out of 4.0, the highest average of any class in Navy history at that time.

Even though all 16 men passed their exams, the Navy commissioned only 12 of the men, and a 13^th was made a chief warrant officer. Three returned to the enlisted ranks, with no reason given by the Navy.

During the men's careers, they oversaw all-Black units or the training of Black recruits. One would go on to make his career in the Navy after World War II, with the rest returning to civilian life. In the 1970s, Captain Edward Secrest, a former instructor, gave the group the name the "Golden Thirteen."

I urge my colleagues to support this bill to honor the first African American officers in the Navy: Jesse Walter Arbor; Phillip G. Barnes; Samuel Edward Barnes; Dalton Louis Baugh, Sr.; George Clinton Cooper; Reginald Ernest Goodwin; James Edward Hair; Charles Byrd Lear; Graham Edward Martin; Dennis Denmark Nelson; John Walter Reagan; Frank Ellis Sublett, Jr.; and William Sylvester White. The three men who passed their exams but were not made officers were Augustus Alves; J.B. Pinkney; and Lewis "Mummy" Williams.

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