In memory of my late sister, Cornelia Louise Williams, a veteran of the United States Army, I write this as a call to action. We stand at a moment where the legacies of our ancestors and the rights of those currently serving are being systematically challenged. The erasure of identity is not just happening in our military; it is happening to our very history.
The Targeted Exclusion in Our Ranks
The current atmosphere in the Department of Defense is one of targeted exclusion. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has been documented personally intervening to strike the names of multiple female and Black Navy officers from promotion lists, even after they were selected by senior military boards. When leadership is allowed to target officers based on identity rather than fitness to lead, it does more than just hurt careers—it tells every young Black girl aspiring to serve her country that there is no future for her in this administration. This agenda of erasure extends to the very history of our service members.
Arlington National Cemetery has scrubbed dozens of pages from its website that once highlighted the stories of Black, Hispanic, and female service members. These "digital content refreshes," ordered to align with the administration’s crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion, have removed profiles of heroic figures, leaving broken links where the history of our pioneers once stood.
A Legacy of Resilience
My three brothers, who served their country with honor after graduating from The Ursuline High School in Youngstown, Ohio, taught me that our legacy is worth fighting for. Our family history is defined by the dichotomy of power and profound injustice. My four-times great-grandfather was a white plantation owner named Obadiah Britt; he was a man of immense privilege who owned humans, whom he brought and registered as personal property. His descendants, including Billy Britt and his son Charles Britt, carried the spirit of survival through the tumultuous years of the nineteenth century, including the wars of that era, where they were forced to navigate a country that denied their humanity while demanding their service.
The weight of that history—and the resilience of those who survived it—is a testament to our family's journey from those origins to our establishment in Youngstown, Ohio. To the women I have known for decades who served their country for many years, the message is clear: the current environment is hostile to those who do not fit a singular, exclusionary image.
We are watching as the contributions of Black women are deleted from cemeteries and military records alike. We must speak up and share the stories they seek to silence. The Fourth Estate is rising, and we will not let our history be forgotten.
Resolution in Recognition of the Britt Family
As documented in the official record, the Board of Mahoning County Commissioners adopted a resolution to recognize the Britt family lineage and celebrate family unity. This resolution honors our family lineage, documenting the transition of the Britt family from those enslaved in Barren County, Kentucky, to their establishment in Youngstown, Ohio. It stands as a formal acknowledgment of our ancestors' resilience and our family’s enduring presence.
Cynthia Denise Brown is the founder of the Heartbeat Movement Inc., founder and Committee Chair of Protecting Ohioans’ Constitutional Rights, and founder of The Ohio Coalition for Police Accountability and Transparency, oceqi.org.
Senator Jack Reed’s Official Statement (June 2026) – Excellent for documenting the formal legislative opposition and the specific claims regarding the disproportionate impact on minority and female officers.
The Dispatch: Hegseth’s Officer Purge Is Bad for the Military – Offers a critique from the perspective of military culture and the "up-or-out" professional structure, highlighting the long-term readiness risks of politicizing personnel decisions.
The Guardian: Hegseth removes all women and some Black service members from navy promotion list – A comprehensive report on the most recent June developments in the Navy
Military.com: Female Navy Officers Say They Fear a Career Cap After Hegseth Cuts
AP News: Female Navy officers say they fear a career cap after Hegseth cuts women from promotions list
