Colored Men In Navy.

New York Times 100 years ago today, May 26, 1913:
Secretary Daniels Denies Any Discrimination Against Them.
    Secretary of the Navy Daniels and Rear Admiral Charles J. Badger, now in command of the Atlantic fleet, have completed an investigation of the charge of discrimination in the navy against colored enlisted men, and find that the charge is unwarranted, as there is no evidence of discrimination.
    When 6,000 men of the navy paraded here last Fall and no colored men were seen in line, some of the negro leaders here concluded that the negro enlisted men were not permitted to parade. Cleveland G. Allen of 252 West Fifty-third Street, representing the various complainants, wrote to Secretary Daniels in April, calling his attention to the alleged discrimination, and suggesting that a way to avoid similar conditions in future might be in having some warships manned entirely by colored men, commanded by white officers.
    To have ships manned by colored men, the Secretary and Admiral agree, would be "inadvisable and impracticable." Secretary Daniels has sent a letter to Allen, inclosing with it a report from Admiral Badger. The letter says:

    My Dear Sir: Referring further to your letter of April 12, complaining of alleged discrimination against colored enlisted men in the naval service, I inclose for your information a copy of a communication received from the commander in chief of the Atlantic fleet, to whom your letter was referred. The department believes with Admiral Badger that you are misinformed as to the conditions of colored men in the navy, and further concurs with him as to the inadvisability and impracticability of having ships of the navy manned entirely by colored enlisted men commanded by white officers.

    Rear Admiral Badger's investigation covers a report of two typewritten pages. He says the only colored men in the navy are those employed as "messmen," and while there are also some white men in that department, none are permitted to parade. The men who parade are those composing the deck and gun crews. The Admiral denies that the colored men are forbidden to use the reading room aboard ship.