Bill Clinton Pardons Lieutenant Flipper
I had never heard of Lieutenant Henry Ossian Flipper before until I was sorting through some "on this day in history websites" when I happened upon his story. Lieutenant Flipper was an American soldier who was born into slavery in Thomasville, Georgia in 1856. He and his family were "owned" by Ephraim Ponder, a wealthy slave-trader. Following the Civil War, the freed young man was able to attend Atlanta University during Reconstruction. With the recommendation of Congressman James Freeman, Flipper was admitted to, and became the first African American to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877 at the age of 21. He earned a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army.
Flipper was transferred to one of the regiments serving in the US Army which were composed of African-American soldiers, but led by white officers. He was assigned to A Troop under the command of Captain Nicholas M. Nolan, and he became the first non-white officer to lead "Buffalo Soldiers" of the 10th Cavalry. Flipper served with competency and distinction during the Apache Wars and the Victorio Campaign. He was accused of "improprieties" which consisted mainly of his friendship and possible romantic involvement with Mollie Dwyer, who was Nolan's daughter.
In May of 1881, a new commander was assigned to Fort Davis where Flipper was stationed. Flipper was charged with embezzlement of government funds while serving as quartermaster. He was acquitted of that charge, but was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer because he had tried to cover up the missing funds. Although he had not stolen them, he believed that he would be blamed because of his race. For this offence he was court-martialled. The sentence was criticized as unduly harsh because two other officer who had actually stolen money were given lesser sentences. At his trial, letters between Flipper and Molly Dwyer were introduced as evidence, and while they were irrelevant to the issues before the military court, the idea of an African-American officer fraternizing with a young white woman almost certainly played a part in the military court's decision to hand out such an extreme sentence.
After losing his commission in the Army, Flipper worked in Mexico and Latin America and as an assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. He retired to Atlanta in 1931 and died of in 1940 at the age of 84.
What does all of this have to do with the Presidency you ask? Well in 1976 his descendants applied to the US military for a review of Flipper's court martial and dismissal. A review found that the conviction and punishment were "unduly harsh and unjust" and recommended that Flipper’s dismissal be changed to a good conduct discharge. Shortly afterwards, an application for pardon was filed with the Secretary of the Army which was forwarded to the Department of Justice.
Ob February 19, 1999 (13 years ago today) President Bill Clinton pardoned Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper. Clinton's remarks at the pardon ceremony can be found here. In part, Clinton said:
"Today's ceremony is about a moment in 1882, when our government did not do all it could do to protect an individual American's freedom. It is about a moment in 1999 when we correct the error and resolve to do even better in the future. The man we honor today was an extraordinary American. Henry Flipper did all his country asked him to do. Though born a slave in Georgia, he was proud to serve America: the first African American graduate of West Point; the first African American commissioned officer in the regular United States Army. He showed brilliant promise and joined the 10th Cavalry. While stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he perfected a drainage system that eliminated the stagnant water, and malaria, plaguing the fort. Still known as "Flipper's Ditch," it became a national landmark in 1977. He distinguished himself in combat on the frontier, and then was transferred to run a commissary at Fort Davis in Texas. In 1881, Lt. Flipper was accused by his commanding officer of improperly accounting for the funds entrusted to him. A later Army review suggested he had been singled out for his race, but at the time there wasn't much justice available for a young African American soldier. In December, a court-martial acquitted him of embezzlement, but convicted him of conduct unbecoming an officer. President Chester A. Arthur declined to overturn the sentence, and in June of 1882, Lt. Flipper was dishonorably discharged. His life continued. He became a civil and mining engineer out West. He worked in many capacities for the government, as special agent for the Department of Justice; as an expert on Mexico for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. He died in 1940, at the age of 84. But even after his death, this stain of dishonor remained. One hundred and seventeen years have now elapsed since his discharge. That's a long time, even more than the span of his long life. More than half the history of the White House, indeed, of the United States itself. And too long to let an injustice lie uncorrected."
After his discharge was changed, a bust of Flipper was unveiled at West Point. Since then, an annual Henry O. Flipper Award has been granted to graduating cadets at the Academy who exhibit "leadership, self-discipline, and perseverance in the face of unusual difficulties."
Flipper was transferred to one of the regiments serving in the US Army which were composed of African-American soldiers, but led by white officers. He was assigned to A Troop under the command of Captain Nicholas M. Nolan, and he became the first non-white officer to lead "Buffalo Soldiers" of the 10th Cavalry. Flipper served with competency and distinction during the Apache Wars and the Victorio Campaign. He was accused of "improprieties" which consisted mainly of his friendship and possible romantic involvement with Mollie Dwyer, who was Nolan's daughter.
In May of 1881, a new commander was assigned to Fort Davis where Flipper was stationed. Flipper was charged with embezzlement of government funds while serving as quartermaster. He was acquitted of that charge, but was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer because he had tried to cover up the missing funds. Although he had not stolen them, he believed that he would be blamed because of his race. For this offence he was court-martialled. The sentence was criticized as unduly harsh because two other officer who had actually stolen money were given lesser sentences. At his trial, letters between Flipper and Molly Dwyer were introduced as evidence, and while they were irrelevant to the issues before the military court, the idea of an African-American officer fraternizing with a young white woman almost certainly played a part in the military court's decision to hand out such an extreme sentence.
After losing his commission in the Army, Flipper worked in Mexico and Latin America and as an assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. He retired to Atlanta in 1931 and died of in 1940 at the age of 84.
What does all of this have to do with the Presidency you ask? Well in 1976 his descendants applied to the US military for a review of Flipper's court martial and dismissal. A review found that the conviction and punishment were "unduly harsh and unjust" and recommended that Flipper’s dismissal be changed to a good conduct discharge. Shortly afterwards, an application for pardon was filed with the Secretary of the Army which was forwarded to the Department of Justice.
Ob February 19, 1999 (13 years ago today) President Bill Clinton pardoned Lieutenant Henry O. Flipper. Clinton's remarks at the pardon ceremony can be found here. In part, Clinton said:
"Today's ceremony is about a moment in 1882, when our government did not do all it could do to protect an individual American's freedom. It is about a moment in 1999 when we correct the error and resolve to do even better in the future. The man we honor today was an extraordinary American. Henry Flipper did all his country asked him to do. Though born a slave in Georgia, he was proud to serve America: the first African American graduate of West Point; the first African American commissioned officer in the regular United States Army. He showed brilliant promise and joined the 10th Cavalry. While stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he perfected a drainage system that eliminated the stagnant water, and malaria, plaguing the fort. Still known as "Flipper's Ditch," it became a national landmark in 1977. He distinguished himself in combat on the frontier, and then was transferred to run a commissary at Fort Davis in Texas. In 1881, Lt. Flipper was accused by his commanding officer of improperly accounting for the funds entrusted to him. A later Army review suggested he had been singled out for his race, but at the time there wasn't much justice available for a young African American soldier. In December, a court-martial acquitted him of embezzlement, but convicted him of conduct unbecoming an officer. President Chester A. Arthur declined to overturn the sentence, and in June of 1882, Lt. Flipper was dishonorably discharged. His life continued. He became a civil and mining engineer out West. He worked in many capacities for the government, as special agent for the Department of Justice; as an expert on Mexico for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Interior. He died in 1940, at the age of 84. But even after his death, this stain of dishonor remained. One hundred and seventeen years have now elapsed since his discharge. That's a long time, even more than the span of his long life. More than half the history of the White House, indeed, of the United States itself. And too long to let an injustice lie uncorrected."
After his discharge was changed, a bust of Flipper was unveiled at West Point. Since then, an annual Henry O. Flipper Award has been granted to graduating cadets at the Academy who exhibit "leadership, self-discipline, and perseverance in the face of unusual difficulties."