Inscription
Henry Ossian Flipper (1856-1940) was the first African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1877. Born into slavery in Thomasville, Georgia, he came from a family of achievers; his brothers were an African Methodist Episcopal Bishop, a college professor and a farmer.
Commissioned as Lieutenant in the 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, Flipper was stationed at bases in western states and territories. At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he designed a drainage system, now a National Historic Landmark known as "Flipper's Ditch," that removed standing water, thus minimizing malaria outbreaks.
Despite his many accomplishments, Flipper is most remembered as a victim of racism. In 1882, at Fort Davis, Texas, he was court-martialled on questionable charges. He was eventually acquitted of all charges save one: conduct unbecoming an officer.
Dismissed from the army, Flipper went on to become a civil mining engineer, surveyor, translator, newspaper editor, historian and folklorist in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. For 10 years, he lived in El Paso, working for prominent mining companies. He was appointed Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior during the Harding administration. Flipper tried, but was unable, to clear his name before his death in 1940.
In 1976, the U.S. Army granted Lt. Flipper an honorable discharge, and he received a full presidential pardon of all charges in 1999.
Commissioned as Lieutenant in the 10th U.S. Cavalry Regiment, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, Flipper was stationed at bases in western states and territories. At Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he designed a drainage system, now a National Historic Landmark known as "Flipper's Ditch," that removed standing water, thus minimizing malaria outbreaks.
Despite his many accomplishments, Flipper is most remembered as a victim of racism. In 1882, at Fort Davis, Texas, he was court-martialled on questionable charges. He was eventually acquitted of all charges save one: conduct unbecoming an officer.
Dismissed from the army, Flipper went on to become a civil mining engineer, surveyor, translator, newspaper editor, historian and folklorist in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. For 10 years, he lived in El Paso, working for prominent mining companies. He was appointed Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior during the Harding administration. Flipper tried, but was unable, to clear his name before his death in 1940.
In 1976, the U.S. Army granted Lt. Flipper an honorable discharge, and he received a full presidential pardon of all charges in 1999.
Details
| HM Number | HM159N |
|---|---|
| Tags | |
| Marker Number | 12796 |
| Year Placed | 2002 |
| Placed By | Texas Historical Commission |
| Marker Condition |   9 out of 10 (1 reports) |
| Date Added | Sunday, October 5th, 2014 at 12:45pm PDT -07:00 |
Pictures
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 13R E 362171 N 3517056 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 31.78075000, -106.45566667 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 31° 46.845', W 106° 27.34' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 31° 46' 50.70" N, 106° 27' 20.40" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 915 |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near 3239-3299 Wyoming Ave, El Paso TX 79903, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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I Saw The Marker
My husband was Chair of the El Paso Historical Commission when this marker was placed at the McCall Community Center at 3231 Wyoming Ave, El Paso, TX 79903. This marker is located in what was once a historic black community of El Paso, Tx
Oct 8, 2021 at 6:43pm PDT by historiclady
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