The 147-year legacy of Henry O. Flipper echoed through the halls of West Point as cadets, faculty, and staff gathered at the Mess Hall to honor this year's Flipper Award Recipient, Cadet Teryon Lowery, on Feb. 15 at the U.S. Military Academy.
The award pays tribute to Flipper, who was the 6th African American to be accepted to West Point, but the first African American cadet to graduate from the academy in 1877.
Throughout his four-year tenure, Flipper endured pervasive silence from his peers, leading to a profound sense of isolation. Reflecting on his experience, he lamented, “There was no society for me to enjoy—no friends, male or female, for me to visit, or with whom I could have any social intercourse, so absolute was my isolation.” Flipper described his experiences in his 1878 book, The Colored Cadet at West Point.
Flipper was also the first African American to commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, or any other branch in the U.S. military, as well as the first African American officer to command regular troops when he assumed command of Troop A, 10th Calvary Regiment, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
In 1881, Flipper's Army career was threatened by the machinations of systemic racism when he was accused of embezzling $3,000 in commissary funds. Despite the accusation, he was found not guilty by a court martial, however, in 1882, he was dishonorably discharged from the Army for “conduct unbecoming an officer and gentleman." He sent a request to Congress in 1898 to restore his commission so that he could serve in the Spanish-American War, but Congress ignored his appeal.
These experiences, however, did not stifle Flipper's desire to serve. Until 1919, Flipper resided primarily in El Paso, Texas, where he engaged in various professions including civil mining engineer, surveyor, translator, newspaper editor, and historian, across the Southwest and Mexico. He also worked in the Department of the Interior working in Alaska and Washington.
In 1921, Flipper transitioned to Washington, D.C., serving as the assistant to former U.S. Senator Albert Fall of New Mexico as an advisor on Mexican politics and later as his assistant when Fall was appointed Secretary of the Interior by President Warren G. Harding. By 1923, Flipper worked as an engineer in the petroleum industry in Venezuela.
Following this, Flipper returned to the U.S. In 1931, retired in Atlanta and, ultimately, passed away in 1940 at the age of 84. Thirty-six years later, in 1976, Flipper was posthumously granted an honorable discharge by President Jimmy Carter and received a full presidential pardon in 1999 from President Bill Clinton.
In reflecting on the significance of Henry O. Flipper, this year’s award recipient Cadet Lowery articulated a profound sentiment encapsulating the essence of Flipper's legacy and its impact on cadets of diverse backgrounds.
" ... Henry O. Flipper is a representation of all cadets, whether they're black, Hispanic, women, gay, or trans," Lowery said. "Flipper helped cement that there's a place for them here.
"And the same way that he represents that," he added. "I think that every Flipper awardee is a reminder and a reinforcement that you can go through trials and tribulations and still be a successful officer."
During the ceremony, retired Master Sgt. Cedric King delivered the keynote address, discussing pivotal moments of his life with cadets. He recounted instances of insurmountable challenges and discussed his journey of overcoming despair with resilience and determination.
During his third deployment on July 25, 2012, King's platoon embarked on a reconnaissance mission in an Afghan village suspected of harboring explosives. As they neared their target, they came under intense machine gun fire. Following the intensity of the firefight, King cautiously advanced, only to trigger an improvised explosive device that hurled him into the air. In that terrifying moment, thoughts of his family consumed him as he pondered if he would ever reunite with them. Awakening eight days later in a hospital bed in the U.S., he found solace in the presence of his mother and wife. The explosion left him disfigured on his right hand, and both of his legs were amputated.Since his life-altering injuries, King has earned numerous medals and accolades, conquered marathons, and scaled mountains, embodying resilience and conviction in the face of adversity with the same determination as Flipper.
As King continued with his speech, he pulled out a pencil and sharpener from his pocket.
He then began sharpening the pencil, explaining how the pencil represents the cadet and the sharpener is the West Point experience.
" ... the cutting, the shaving, the sharpening. This is what life is about. This is what Cadet Flipper went through his entire life," King explained. "But at some point in time, what will happen is you will be sharpened to a razor's edge. "Not because you jumped out of the sharpener every time things got difficult," he added. "You stayed in there to become far better than you could ever imagine. I pray that you understand that this sharpener is a part of life. It's a blessing. It's not a curse."
Since 1977, the Flipper award has been presented to a firstie (senior) for demonstrating "the highest qualities of leadership, self-discipline, and perseverance in the face of unusual adversity." Lowery displayed these virtues by caring for his two younger brothers and enlisting in the U.S. Army to support his mother, who was critically ill.
At the time, Lowery was attending Dickinson College when he heard the devastating news.
" ... My mother told me she was diagnosed with Stage-3 breast cancer and I had two younger brothers, both on the autism spectrum," Lowery said. "With my mom, being a teacher and her immune system being compromised while going through treatment, it wasn't ideal for her to keep working in school."
Lowery was deeply concerned about his family situation. To overcome this, he believed that he had to take full responsibility for providing for his family and sought the mentorship of advisors at Dickinson College.
"For the most part, they all said, 'No, you need to stay at school ... that's not your responsibility, but I didn't agree with them," Lowery said. " ... I was like, 'If anything happens to my mom, I want to be able to make sure that I can provide for my brothers.'"
Lowery made the decision to withdraw from Dickinson College and enlisted in the U.S. Army as a practical nursing specialist (68 Charlie) to provide support for his family.
Stationed at Fort Bliss for three years, Lowery not only managed to provide for his family but was also awarded two Army Achievement medals for saving a life and assisting a Soldier in meeting the Army Physical Fitness Test requirements, allowing him to remain in the Army. During that time, Lowery reaped the greatest reward for his hard work when he received the most reassuring news.
"The treatment for my mom went really, really well. She was able to beat the cancer. I was still able to provide for my family while she was still getting back on her feet," Lowery said. "Like making sure my brothers were good and that they were able to participate in the programs that they needed to help them with their specific needs."
Soon after, Lowery transitioned to West Point, where his selfless service continued as a cadet.
Following in the footsteps of Flipper, Lowery created a safe haven for cadets at the academy. He demonstrated unwavering dedication to the diversity forum and served as a source of inspiration for participants in the ACT program.
As the event concluded, Lowery received the award and a standing ovation for his inspiring efforts, adding his name to the esteemed list of awardees whose valiant stories have added to Flipper's reputable legacy.
"I'd like to, of course, thank God, my mom, my family, the History Department, D4 Dukes," Lowery concluded. "I'd also like to thank my classmates and the Diversity Forum. I got to give it to the Diversity Forum because they are my family away from family here at West Point."
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