black schools merely
helped perpetuate the nation's segregated college system. Fitt agreed
that as integrated education became more commonplace the number of
black ROTC graduates would increase in predominantly white colleges,
but meanwhile he considered units at black schools essential. Among
the approximately 140 black colleges without ROTC affiliation, some
could possibly qualify for units, and in February 1965 Fitt's
successor, Stephen N. Shulman, called for the formation of more (p. 571)
ROTC units as an equal opportunity measure.[22-46] The Army responded
by creating a unit at Arkansas A&M Normal College, and the Navy opened
a unit at Prairie View A&M in the President's home state of Texas.
Balancing the expectations implied by the formation of these new units
were the growing antiwar sentiment among college students and the
special competition for black college graduates in the private
business community, both of which made ROTC commissions less
attractive to many black students.

[Footnote 22-46: Fitt left the civil rights office in
August 1964 to become the General Counsel of the
Army. At his departure the position of Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civil Rights was
consolidated with that of the Deputy for Civilian
Personnel and Industrial Relations. The incumbent
of the latter position, Stephen Shulman, became
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian
Personnel, Industrial Relations, and Civil Rights.
Shulman, a graduate of Yale Law School and former
Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Labor, had
been closely involved in the Defense Department's
equal opportunity program in industrial contracts.]

Table 27--Army and Air Force Commissions Granted at Predominantly
Black Schools

Army Commissions
Class of|Class of|Class of|Class of
School 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967
A&T College, N.C. 24 22 10 17
Central State College, Ohio 29 14 26 25
Florida A&M College 29 15 23 15
Hampton University, Va. 29 34 20