Last year’s class had twenty-seven, but that number has increased as thirty-four black women will graduate from West Point on May 25th.

That will be the largest class of African-American women to graduate together in the military academy’s lengthy history, West Point spokesman Frank Demaro said.

This stride in history comes at a time where the military academy selected (in 2017) an African American woman, Simone Askew to serve at the top of the chain of command for cadets. A year later, Lt. Gen. Darryl A. Williams was appointed as the first black superintendent.

“It makes me feel prideful that the academy is acknowledging diversity,” 2012 West Point alum Shalela Dowdy said.

Vice President Mike Pence will speak at the graduation ceremony where over 950 cadets will graduate and become employed as second lieutenants in the US Army.

By BSM team

Feature photo: CNN