Johnson Chesnut Whittaker

Biography

Johnson Chesnut Whittaker earned a place among the earliest African American cadets at the United States Military Academy and, after surviving an assault and an unjust court-martial, spent years proving his courage and commitment to equality through education and service.

Returning home to South Carolina, he assisted young people in their studies and continued to counsel friends and neighbors on the need for justice; his courage is remembered at Orangeburg City Cemetery where he rests.