The Higher Education of the Army’s First African American Two-Star General

GenNadjaWestNadja Y. West was recently promoted to Major General of the U.S. Army. She is the first African American woman on active duty to receive a second star. General West serves as the deputy chief of staff of the U.S. Army Medical Command.

General West is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. There, she earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering. She is a graduate of the medical school at George Washington University in the nation’s capital. General West also holds a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the National Defense University.

Related Articles

4 COMMENTS

  1. Almost correct… the first AA female to be promoted to Major General (2-stars) in any branch of the military (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard) was Major General Marcelite J. Harris, USAF.
    She was born Marcelite Jordan in Houston, Texas to Cecil O’Neal Jordan and Marcelite Terrill Jordan, Sr., Jordan graduated from Spelman College, earning her B.A. of arts degree in speech and drama in 1964.
    Retired Feb. 22, 1997.

    The Army had appointed its first black female two-star general in 2011. Major General Marcia Anderson.

    Varify your facts before posting…. research!!!

    • When promoted, Major General Marcia Anderson was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. As our article clearly states, Nadja Y. West was the first African American woman on active duty that was promoted to the rank of Major General in the U.S. Army.

  2. By far one of the finest officers in the Medical Field! I am very proud to have worked for her while she was a Colonel at WAMC and very confident in saying that she has been the most professional and compassionate leader that I have ever had the priviledge of knowing. Well deserved!!!!

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: William Strickland, 1937-2024

Strickland spent his lifetime dedicated to advancing civil rights and Black political representation. For four decades, he served as a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he taught courses on Black history and the civil rights movement.

UCLA and Charles Drew University of Medicine Receive Funding to Support Equity in Neuroscience

Through $9.8 million in funding, the Dana Foundation will establish the UCLA-CDU Dana Center for Neuroscience & Society, which aims to gain a better understanding of the neuroscience needs of historically underrepresented communities in Los Angeles.

American Academy of Physician Associates Launches Program to Increase Diversity in the Field

"Increasing the representation of healthcare providers from historically marginalized communities is of utmost importance for improving health outcomes in all patients,” said Jennifer M. Orozco, chief medical officer of the American Academy of Physician Associates.

Featured Jobs