The Golden Thirteen

Praise

“[An] inspiring story. . . . Goldberg delivers a gripping account of the brutal two-month accelerated course taught by mostly white officers, who often made it clear they hoped the men would fail. . . . Revealing accounts of highly admirable men working diligently within an unedifying episode in American history.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“Journalist Goldberg debuts with a carefully documented chronicle of efforts to fully integrate the US Navy during WWII. . . . Goldberg skillfully interweaves his exhaustive account of the pressure campaign for equality with profiles of the individual sailors, showcasing their remarkable equanimity in the face of discrimination. This stirring portrait shines a well-deserved spotlight on a little-known victory in the fight for civil rights.”
—Publishers Weekly

“[Goldberg] shares fresh interviews and employs robust research to add clarity and depth to the vital history of some of the first black naval officers during World War II. Goldberg’s research and analysis are rigorous, responsible, and fair in his assessment of the disappointing military and political leaders as well as of the brave visionary members of the media, military, and government . . . . Goldberg shares new and important information mined from the digital archives of the Black press of the 1940s. . . . Goldberg does a masterful job of revealing the inspiring stories of resilience and character exhibited by the talented men he wrote about. . . . I recommend Dan Goldberg’s fine book.”
—Commander Jim Jackson, US Navy (Retired), Proceedings

“The Golden Thirteen is the book all Americans need to read. This is a must-read for anyone interested in race, service, heroism, the civil rights movement, and the power of a few brave men to change the course of American history.”
—Christina M. Greer, author of Black Ethnics

“Thanks to the research and writing skills of Dan Goldberg, no more will they be forgotten.”
—Arthur Browne, author of One Righteous Man

“Deeply researched and very well written, Dan Goldberg’s work offers a long overdue homage to the first black officers commissioned in a white man’s navy.”
—Richard A. Serrano, author of Summoned at Midnight

“These heroes were all but forgotten. Until now.”
—Linda Hervieux, author of Forgotten: The Untold Story of D-Day’s Black Heroes, at Home and at War

“Using the oral history interviews of Golden Thirteen members as a springboard, author Dan Goldberg has done an impressive amount of additional research. The result is that his well-written book provides additional details about the men themselves. Even more importantly, the account paints a vivid portrait of the deep-seated racism that afflicted the Navy and the nation at large during the 1940s. That backdrop gives needed context to appreciate the achievements of the thirteen men in overcoming age-old obstacles to realizing true democracy. They constituted a remarkable group of pioneers who opened doors for the generations of African American naval officers that have followed.”
—Paul Stillwell, US Navy Officer (Ret.), historian