James H. Conyers facts for kids
James Henry Conyers (born October 24, 1855 – died November 29, 1935) was a very important person in American history. On September 21, 1872, he became the first African American to be accepted into the United States Naval Academy. This was a big step forward for equality in the country.
Early Life
James H. Conyers was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, John Peter Conyers, was from Edisto Island, and his mother, Catherine Caulder, was from Charleston. After the Civil War, his father worked as a laborer in Charleston.
James went to school at the Avery Normal Institute in Charleston. While he was studying, he also worked as a messenger. He worked in the office of the South Carolina Secretary of State.
In 1872, when James Conyers was 16 years old, he got a chance to join the United States Naval Academy. A congressman from South Carolina named Robert B. Elliott nominated him.
James had to take and pass several difficult tests. After he passed all the exams, he was officially accepted. He was sworn in as a "cadet-midshipman" on September 24, 1872. Newspapers at the time wrote good things about him. They described him as having a "brown coffee color" skin and "curly hair."
Facing Challenges at the Academy
From the very beginning, James Conyers faced many problems at the Academy. Other students treated him very poorly. They would yell at him, spit on him, and even push him around. Some students even tried to drown him.
In the fall of 1872, Conyers was marching when several other midshipmen attacked him. One of them was George E. Goodfellow, who was the Academy's boxing champion. News of this attack and the constant bad treatment Conyers received got out to the newspapers.
Because of this, a special group was formed to investigate the attacks. Goodfellow said he didn't do anything wrong. Conyers said he couldn't tell who attacked him. But the special group decided that the bullies had no good reason for their actions, except for prejudice. They believed strong action was needed to give Conyers a fair chance. In the end, Goodfellow and two other students were kicked out of the Academy.
However, the unfair treatment continued in less obvious ways. Conyers' grades started to suffer. After another incident where nine midshipmen were dismissed for bothering him, Conyers decided to leave. He resigned from the Academy in October 1873.
Later Life
After leaving the Naval Academy, James Conyers lived a quiet life. Unlike some other black midshipmen who became well-known, Conyers was not often in the public eye. For example, Alonzo Clifton McClennan became a successful doctor, and Henry E. Baker became a patent examiner and wrote books.
James Conyers went back to Charleston. He found a job working in the shipyards as a ship's caulker. This meant he sealed the seams of ships to make them waterproof. He continued this job for the rest of his life.
On August 28, 1881, Conyers married Fannie Elizabeth Steele in Charleston. She was eighteen years old. They had nine children together, and seven of them lived to adulthood.
James H. Conyers passed away at his home in Charleston on November 29, 1935. He was buried on December 1 at the Humane and Friendly Society Cemetery in Charleston.
In 2013, a copy of a textbook called SEAMANSHIP by Stephen B. Luce was put up for sale. This book had "Cadet Midshipman J. Henry Conyers" written inside it. It also had a special message from him. This book showed a piece of his time at the Naval Academy.
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