Lieutenant Colonel Rory McGovern, an Associate Professor at West Point and co-author of a pivotal book on Black cadets, delves into the harrowing experiences of the first Black students at the U.S. Military Academy. He discusses the intense racism, hazing, and struggles for dignity faced by these trailblazers from 1870 to 1899. McGovern highlights James Webster Smith's journey as the first Black cadet and the historical significance of figures like Henry Ossian Flipper, shedding light on the ongoing fight for equality and representation in the military.