About: Black cadets at the United States Coast Guard Academy

Founded in 1876 as the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service School of Instruction, the United States Coast Guard Academy graduated their first African-American Cadet, Merle Smith, in 1966. Prior to 1962, there was one African-American Cadet, Javis Wright, admitted. Unfortunately he left due to medical reasons. The Coast Guard Academy is the only federal military academy that does not require a Congressional appointment, and admission is strictly on the basis of the Scholastic Aptitude Test and consideration of extracurricular involvement. The entering class is usually between 200 and 300 cadets, with the entire four class student body consisting of no more than about 1000 cadets at any one time.