ity ▁cad ets ▁in ▁a ▁two - year ▁period ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 7 6 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁the ▁Academy ▁had ▁not ▁admitted ▁any ▁African - American ▁cad ets . ▁Given ▁a ▁free ▁hand , ▁open ▁travel ing ▁orders , ▁and ▁a ▁budget ▁Ste vers on ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁reach ▁out ▁to ▁the ▁parents ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁and ▁the ▁bright est ▁in ▁the ▁black ▁community ▁across ▁the ▁nation . ▁He ▁attended ▁the ▁National ▁Con vent ions ▁of ▁the ▁NA AC P , ▁Operation ▁P US H , ▁and ▁the ▁Black ▁American ▁Law ▁Stud ents . ▁He ▁established ▁a ▁Sp ons or ▁Program ▁where ▁an ▁active ▁duty ▁officer ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁name , ▁address , ▁and ▁tele phone ▁number ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁prom ising ▁applic ants ▁to ▁maintain ▁their ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁Academy . ▁He ▁spons ored ▁familiar ization ▁tri ps ▁to ▁the ▁Academy ▁for ▁the ▁applic ants ▁and ▁their ▁parents ▁for ▁all ▁final ist ▁who ▁were ▁interested ▁in ▁seeing ▁the ▁Academy ▁grounds . ▁The ▁first ▁year ▁on ▁the ▁job ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁deliver ▁ 2 8 ▁pros pective ▁cad ets ▁to ▁the ▁steps ▁of ▁Ch ase ▁Hall ▁on ▁Ad m issions ▁Day ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁Cad et ▁O ath . ▁The ▁second ▁year , ▁using ▁the ▁same ▁programs , ▁he ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁deliver ▁another ▁ 2 0 ▁African - American ▁high ▁school ▁gradu ates ▁to ▁be ▁sw orn ▁in ▁as ▁cad ets . ▁It