▁there ▁were ▁ 2 0 ▁Black ▁cad ets ▁admitted ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Class ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁These ▁two ▁years ▁alone ▁quickly ▁raised ▁the ▁percentage ▁of ▁minor ity ▁cad ets ▁at ▁the ▁Academy . ▁The ▁entering ▁class ▁is ▁usually ▁between ▁ 2 0 0 ▁and ▁ 3 0 0 ▁cad ets , ▁with ▁the ▁entire ▁four ▁class ▁student ▁body ▁consists ▁of ▁no ▁more ▁than ▁about ▁ 1 0 0 0 ▁cad ets ▁at ▁any ▁one ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁African - American ▁appointment ▁President ▁Kennedy ' s ▁new ▁front ier ▁was ▁to ▁push ▁the ▁en velope ▁in ▁areas ▁of ▁national ▁life ▁that ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁reached ▁during ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁President ▁Harry ▁S . ▁Tr uman ▁or ▁President ▁D w ight ▁D . ▁Eisen h ower . ▁A ▁President ial ▁Executive ▁Order ▁ 9 9 8 1 ▁issued ▁by ▁President ▁Tr uman ▁had ▁des eg reg ated ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁on ▁July ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 , ▁but ▁the ▁service ▁academ ies ▁were ▁lag ging ▁in ▁officer ▁rec ruit ing . ▁As ▁a ▁prec ursor ▁to ▁President ▁Ly nd on ▁B . ▁Johnson ' s ▁Great ▁Society ▁programs ▁( Head ▁Start , ▁Civil ▁Rights ▁Act , ▁V oting ▁Rights ▁Act , ▁Medic are , ▁and ▁the ▁appointment ▁of ▁Th ur good ▁Marshall ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁Black ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁Justice ) ▁President ▁Kennedy ▁challeng ed ▁the ▁U . ▁S . ▁Coast ▁Guard ▁Academy ▁to ▁tender ▁appoint ments ▁to ▁black ▁high ▁school ▁students ▁soon ▁after