▁his ▁inaug uration . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁African - American ▁cad ets ▁The ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Academy ▁admitted ▁J av is ▁Leon ▁Wright , ▁Jr . ▁into ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Cad ets ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 . ▁For ▁two ▁years , ▁Wright ▁competed ▁with ▁the ▁a cademy ’ s ▁track ▁and ▁cross - country ▁teams ▁and ▁was ▁well ▁liked ▁by ▁his ▁fellow ▁cad ets . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁he ▁developed ▁serious ▁health ▁problems ▁and ▁had ▁to ▁res ign ▁his ▁appointment . ▁Academy ▁super int endent , ▁R ear ▁Admir al ▁Frank ▁Le amy ▁had ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁res ignation , ▁stating , ▁“ I ▁regret ▁that ▁Cad et ▁Wright ▁must ▁be ▁separated ▁from ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard . ▁He ▁has ▁demonstrated ▁the ▁qual ities ▁of ▁character , ▁intelligence ▁and ▁interest ▁that ▁are ▁desired ▁in ▁pros pective ▁Commission ed ▁Offic ers ▁of ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ." ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁Mer le ▁James ▁Smith , ▁Jr . ▁was ▁admitted ▁to ▁the ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Academy . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁American ▁to ▁gradu ate . ▁ ▁No ▁other ▁black ▁cad et ▁was ▁admitted ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁when ▁London ▁Ste vers on ▁from ▁Mill ington , ▁Tennessee ▁and ▁Kenneth ▁D . ▁Bo yd ▁from ▁Le onia , ▁New ▁Jersey ▁were ▁admitted ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁At tr ition ▁rates ▁for ▁entering ▁cad ets ▁were ▁high , ▁and ▁the