The United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. has launched an inquiry into an image shared on social media that shows 16 black, female cadets in uniform with their fists raised. The image has sparked questions about whether it violates restrictions on political activity.
(CNN)It's a time-honored tradition at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York -- graduating seniors in small groups don their ceremonial high-collared uniforms and pose for a photo in front of historic Nininger Hall.
Their poses are typically stern and stoic, mimicking sepia-toned editions that date back to the 1800s.
They do not typically raise a clenched fist in the air.
So when a photo of 16 female, African-American cadets making the gesture was posted online last month, it raised eyebrows at the elite training academy, which produces many of the nation's future military leaders.
The photo circulated among students over social media, said a student and a school representative who asked to remain anonymous because cadets are not allowed to speak to the media. Soon, it grew into an on-campus controversy -- a potential break in the taboo against advocacy by military personnel.....
Black West Point cadets face scrutiny for raised fists - CNN.com