Held in Trust: The Story of Lt. Henry O. Flipper

Born into slavery, Henry O. Flipper became the first black man to graduate from West Point, only to be dishonorably discharged on trumped up charges of embezzlement and conduct unbecoming an officer. Flipper spent the rest of his life trying to clear his name. (An honorable discharge was posthumously granted in 1976.) This video alternates between a narration of Flipper's life (read by Ossie Davis) and a portrayal of Flipper by George Robert Snead, in which he explains how racism deprived him of his cherished dream of career military service. Much of this material is new and fascinating (particularly as it concerns the role of black "buffalo soldiers" in the west), but ultimately the lengthy scenes with Snead wear thin and exhaust the viewer's attention. A more direct documentary approach--without the dramatizations--might have served the subject better. For large black history collections. Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)