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Contrary to the beliefs of the #ConvictedFelon currently occupying the People’s House and his MAGA cohorts, American history is so much more than just the accomplishments (ignoring the “bad stuff”, of course) of white men.
Although this Substack publication focuses on Black History, there are often other people of color who, despite being oppressed for centuries in America, have nonetheless made great contributions to true American history.
The concept of using Native American languages for code was first tested in World War I with the Choctaw Telephone Squad. The US military later developed a specific program for World War II, focusing on the Navajo language.
During World War II, the United States needed a secure way to communicate sensitive military information, and traditional codes were vulnerable to enemy decryption. The Navajo Code Talkers were a group of Navajo men recruited by the United States Marine Corps to develop an unbreakable code using their native language. Their innovative system would prove to be one of the most effective and secure communication methods in the entire history of warfare.
The U.S. Marine Corps initially recruited 29 Navajo men to develop the code, and they were rigorously trained in basic combat and radio communications. Many Navajo Code Talkers were underage and lied about their age to enlist. After training, they were deployed to the Pacific theater.
The Navajo Code Talkers were tasked with creating a code that was not only complex but also adaptable to the rapidly changing dynamics of war. Using their native tongue, they developed a system that was undecipherable to enemy forces. The code consisted of word substitutions for military terms, which were then transmitted over radio and telephone communications. For example, the Navajo word for "turtle" was used to represent a tank, while "whale" signified a battleship.
The Navajo language, with its unique structure and lack of a written language, proved to be highly effective. The Japanese were never able to decipher the code, and the Code Talkers transmitted thousands of messages without error.
The Navajo Code Talkers played a vital role in the Pacific theater, helping to coordinate troop movements, strategy, and intelligence gathering. They were deployed in every major Marine assault from 1942 to 1945.
Their contributions were critical during several key battles in the Pacific Theater, including Iwo Jima and Okinawa, where the speed and accuracy of communication were crucial to the success of military operations. The Code Talkers provided this edge, often working under extreme conditions and facing the dual challenges of combat and maintaining code secrecy.
For decades, the efforts of the Navajo Code Talkers went largely unrecognized, partly due to the classified nature of their work. It wasn't until 1968 that their contributions were declassified, allowing for broader public awareness and acknowledgment.
In 2001, President George W. Bush awarded the original group of Navajo Code Talkers the Congressional Gold Medal, one of the nation's highest honors for civilians. This recognition finally highlighted the invaluable role they played in securing victory and peace.
Just as with the all-Black Tuskegee Airmen of the U.S. Air Force and the accomplishments of white, Black, and POC women on all military websites, Trump and Musk are deleting the recognition of the Navajo Code Talkers from the Marine Corps website, claiming that such recognition is against Trump’s anti—DEI initiatives.
Today In Black History
In 1878, the ship Azor left Charleston for Liberia with 206 Black emigrants.
In 1966, Private Milton L. Olive, III, was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his exemplary service in Vietnam.
In 1974, Lee Elder became the first African American professional golfer to qualify for the Masters Tournament.
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of course they are. and you are surprised because…