2018 Black History Month Edition

Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs Celebrates Black History
Simone Askew
1997-
Simone Askew is the first African-American woman to hold the position of First Captain
of the U.S. Military Academy's Corps of Cadets, Askew is responsible for overseeing the
performance of approximately 4,400 students.
As a 6-year-old child camping in the Virginia
woods, Simone Askew marched for fun,
wielding a plastic gun and leading her
young sister and friends in formation.
A few years later, the sight of Navy
midshipmen striding across an
Annapolis football field solidified her
desire to be the person who led troops.
The first captain position is often a herald of
successful Army careers. Cadet Vincent K.
Brooks held the title in 1980, becoming the first
African-American to serve as West Point first
captain — and he now is a four-star general
commanding American forces in South Korea. Cadet
John W. Nicholson Jr. was first captain in 1982, and he
also wears four stars today as the senior American
and NATO commander in Afghanistan.
The significance of Cadet Askew’s
achievement has resonated
with many black women who
have graduated from West
Point; most attended the
school when a white male
held the prestigious and
competitive role.
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