Synthesis Essay: General Benjamin O. Davis Jr.

Synthesis Essay: General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. As a young child, General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. dreamed of serving as a fighter pilot in the Armed Forces. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, the first African American General in the United States Army, and carry on the legacy of serving his country. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in the top 1/3 of his class. Following his graduation in 1936, he went on to commission as an officer in the Army Air Corps, but when he applied for flight school he was rejected due to the color of his skin. At that time, the Army Air Corps believed that blacks lacked the intelligence and mental courage to succeed as fighter pilots. Many would’ve

Per the Critical Thinking module, Intellectual Courage is a trait that involves the need to face and fairly address ideas, beliefs or viewpoints you may have strong negative emotions about or may not want to hear. Displaying this trait, means you’re willing to acknowledge that conclusions or beliefs can sometimes be false or misleading. This takes courage, especially if the penalties for not conforming to the status quo’ might be severe. Davis understood the dangers of taking such a bold stance against discrimination and segregation, but he was willing to risk his life to stand for what was right. According to the Aviation History On-Line Museum, “the airmen commanded by General Davis tipped the scales in favor of equality for all in the Armed Forces. On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services. Davis was called upon by Truman to help draft the new “Air Force” plan for carrying out this order the following year. Davis’ intellectual courage to speak against the unfair treatment of black fighter pilots was the driving force that integrated the Armed Forces and left a lasting impact on the military as we know