Henry Flipper

Henry Flipper was born into slavery on March 21, 1865 in Thomasville, Georgia to Festus and Isabella Flipper. That year, Henry's father purchased their family's freedom and four years later, Henry was able to attend the American Missionary Association and Atlanta University. In 1872, Henry Flipper enrolled at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He became the first African-American cadet and graduate from West Point, however he did not receive the respect from his fellow cadets due to the strong attitudes toward racism during that time. After graduation, Henry Flipper was commissioned as second lieutenant. In 1877, Henry Flipper became part of Company A of the Tenth Cavalry Regiment, also known as the "buffalo soldiers". (Vicks & Torok) "Buffalo soldiers" were highly respected African-Americans who were former slaves and black Civil War soldiers. "Buffalo soldiers" also served in the Indian wars and were primarily commanded by white officers.

In 1881, Henry Flipper was stationed at Fort Davis under Colonel William Rufus Shafter, a commanding officer. Henry Flipper was quickly charged by Shafter for embezzlement and unbecoming an officer, which "was probably a racially-motivated attack." (Vicks & Torok) Flipper was found guilty in June of 1882, dismissed from the service, and soon moved to El Paso, Texas. In El Paso, Flipper worked as a civil engineer for many mining companies. For a brief period of time, Henry Flipper owned a mining engineering office in Arizona. In the 1920s, Henry followed Senator Albert Fall to Washington, D.C. Albert Fall was appointed Secretary of the Interior in the Harding Administration and asked Flipper to serve as his assistant. Henry Flipper later left to work for Venezuela. He worked as a translator for a Venezuelan oil company. For seven years Henry