General Roscoe Robinson, Jr.: He Overcame the Hurdle of Segregation to Become the Army's First Black General
Abstract
General Roscoe Robinson Jr., reached the pinnacle of his military career on 30 August 1982, when he was promoted to the rank of General in the United States Army. This was a significant achievement because he was the first black officer to reach this grade in the United States Army. President Harry S. Truman signed the proclimation that mandated the integration of the Armed Forces in May 1948. It took the Army thirty-four years to promote the first black officer to its highest rank. I believe that General Eisenhower was right when he said that man would someday overcome segregation because it was morally wrong to judge a person by the color of his skin. General Robinson overcame the hurdle of segregation and became the Army's first black General. The only question that remains is: will it be another thiry-four years before the Army recognizes another one? This paper briefly traces the Army's road to integration and General Robinson's experiences in overcoming segregation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 23, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA195006
Entities
People
- Duane E. Hardesty
Organizations
- United States Army War College