Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the Guide to Command of Negro Naval Personnel

Be Skeptical About Ready Generalizations

More dangerous than careful experiment is reliance on untested theories. There are many current theories about the Negro can or cannot learn, about what work he can or cannot do, about the likelihood of conflict or cooperation between Negro and white personnel in school or on the job, and about all other questions with which an officer may be faced. All of them should be viewed with skepticism until there is evidence that they have been thoroughly tested under practical conditions as found in the Naval Establishment.

Symbols That Irritate

High or low morale has been said to result from a lot of little things. Among the little things of great importance to Negroes are words, jokes and characterizations which white people use on occasion unthinkingly. They can be such sources of irritation that leadership becomes difficult, and continued use of them has on several occasions invoked serious incidents.
Negroes prefer to be referred to in their individual capacities as Americans without racial designation. The word “nigger” is especially hated and it has no place in the Naval vocabulary. Negroes are suspicious that the pronunciation of the word Negro as though it were spelled “Nigra” may be a sort of genteel compromise between the hated word “nigger” and the preferred term “Negro.” The terms “boy,” “darkey,” “coon,” “jig,” “uncle,” “Negress” and “your people” are also resented. If it is necessary to refer to racial origin, “Negro” and “colored” are the only proper words to use…