Timeline of History: 1950-Present

1950
The George S. Patton, Jr., Monument dedicated.

"Prisoner of War" Camp near Camp Buckner redesignated Camp Natural Bridge.

1955
Movie "The Long Gray Line," featuring the career of SGT Marty Maher, released.

1956
Weekly CBS Television series "West Point" begins in October.

1957
Project Equality assures even distribution of scholastic ability, physical ability, leadership potential, and height across all cadet companies; initiated with the entering Class of 1961.

1959
Positions of Chairman of the Athletic Board, Director of Athletics, and Head Football Coach previously concentrated in one individual established as separate positions upon the resignation of Coach Earl H. "Red" Blaik after 18 years of service at West Point.

Riding Hall converted into Thayer Hall, an academic building.

1961
USMA recognized as an official national historical landmark.

1962
On May 12, General of the Army, Douglas MacArthur, accepts the Thayer Award and delivers his famous "Duty, Honor, Country" speech.

1964
President Johnson signs law which results in an Academy expansion program almost doubling the strength of the Corps by 1973, to 4,400.

New Library completed with a storage capacity of 500,000 volumes.

Plebes are allowed Christmas Leave for the first time.

1965
Colonel Edward H. White II, USMA 1952, becomes the first American to walk in space.

"Plebe Parent Weekend," an orientation program for parents of Fourth Classmen, initiated during Spring Leave.

Ground-breaking ceremonies of new Washington Hall Barracks complex began, necessitated by expansion of the Corps.

First Division of old Central Barracks, previously occupied by Cadet First Captains such as Pershing and MacArthur, to be preserved.

1966
Study of Mandarin Chinese begins.

1969
MacArthur Memorial and Barracks dedicated.

1972
Federal courts end mandatory chapel.

1973
Cavalry Plain renamed Buffalo Soldier Field.

Mahan Hall completed.

Honor Committee acts to eliminate silencing under the Honor Code.

1974
Cadet Activities Center (Eisenhower Hall) opens.

1975-1976
Cadet Richard Morales, Jr. serves as the first Hispanic Brigade Commander (First Captain).

1976
Electrical Engineering Honor Cases.

Women cadets first admitted to the Military Academy.

Borman Commission Report reviews honor at West Point.

Arabic language instruction offered for the Class of 1980.

1977
West Point Study Group Report released, reviewing all aspects of the Academy program and policies.

General Andrew J. Goodpaster comes out of retirement to serve as Academy Superintendent.

1979-1980
Cadet Vincent Brooks serves as the first African-American Brigade Commander (First Captain).

1980
First women graduates from West Point.

1981
Formal Honor Education Program enacted.

1982
USMA Academic Board adopts optional majors beginning with the Class of 1985.

1983
Eisenhower Monument dedicated.

1984
Academy acquires former Ladycliff College (South Post) property.

The Jewish Chapel conducts its first services.

Under the guidance of Coach Jim Young, the football team wins the Commander In Chief trophy and ranks among the top 20 American football teams for the first time in two decades.

1985
First engineer programs receive accreditation by the Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Multi-purpose Sports Complex (later named Holleder Center) opens for basketball and hockey.

1986
Kevin Houston, the Military Academy’s all-time leading scorer, becomes the first basketball player in the nation to win both the national scoring average and the free throw percentage.

1986-1987
Cadet John Tien, Jr. serves as the first Asian Brigade Commander (First Captain).

1988
USMA begins graduate program in leader development for future tactical officers.

1989
Posvar Commission Report finds the Honor Code an "exemplar for all public services" and issues a "call for its extension throughout the Army, the government and American society as a whole."

New Museum and Visitors Center opens to the public at South Post (later Pershing Center).

1989-1990
Cadet Kristin Baker serves as the first woman Brigade Commander (First Captain).

1990
Fourth Class System superseded by Cadet Leader Development System.

1991
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Class of 1956, leads Operation Desert Shield.

The 1,000th African-American and the 1,000th woman graduate from the Military Academy.

1993
Passage of FY93 Defense Appropriation Bill results in the reduction in the size of the Corps of Cadets to 4,000 by 1996 and increases the civilian faculty to 25 percent by the year 2002.