Henry Ossian Flipper

Biography

Henry Ossian Flipper (March 21, 1856 – April 26, 1940) was an American soldier, engineer, former slave and in 1877, the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, earning a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. He was also an author who wrote about scientific topics and his life experiences. After his commissioning, he was assigned to one of the all-black regiments in the U.S. Army, which were historically led by white officers.

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