The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief

How 13 individuals you have probably never heard of, “The Golden 13,” can help us on our well-being journey

“Never let success get to your head, and never let failure get to your heart”- Drake

Welcome back or welcome to, the Lawyer’s Well-being Brief. Every week, I share insights on ways to improve our well-being. This week I am sharing a story of resilience, perseverance, and determination, three characteristics that we can use to help us as we strive to achieve our well-being goals.

Officer positions in the U.S. Navy had previously been off-limits to African Americans. From 1893 onwards, African Americans could only join the Navy’s Messman’s and Steward’s branches, which not only segregated African Americans from the rest of the Navy community but also precluded them from becoming commissioned officers.

In June 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the executive order (8802) prohibiting ethnic and racial discrimination by federal agencies or contractors involved in the defense industry.

In April 1942, thanks to protests and pressure from civil rights leaders and the African American press, the Navy allowed black men into the general service ratings for the first time.