The U.S Military Academy has launched an inquiry into a photo released recently showing 16 Black female cadets from the graduating class with their fists in the air.
It is campus tradition that a group of cadets dress up in traditional dress uniforms to take a portrait, mirroring the history of former cadets. It was in front of the school’s oldest barracks where the young women took this photo, along with another one in which their fists were not raised.
The photo with their fists raised, however, has sparked outrage after many questioned if it broke the academy’s rules surrounding political activity, citing it shows an alignment with the nation’s Black Lives Matter movement.
The Army Times first wrote about the photo, stating readers wrote to say they believed the cadets were breaching a Defense Department policy, which states, “members on active duty should not engage in partisan political activity,” with the exceptions of voting and a few other political activities.
According to West Point graduate and mentor Mary Tobin, the girls had no intention of aligning of themselves with any one movement. It was merely a sign of unity.
“Their frame of reference is: ‘Right now, we’re getting ready to graduate in three weeks, I’m standing here with my sisters …. We outlasted a lot of people, black or white, male or female,'” said Tobin.
