This black guy did pretty well for himself in the military . . . and afterwards.
And of course this guy jumped all the other ranks and served as Commander in Chief for eight years:
As for people who filled other top slots:
Black Four Star Navy Admirals along with the year of their appointment
Joseph Paul Reason, 1997
Cecil Eugene Diggs Haney, 2012
Janine Michelle Howard, 2014
Black Four Star Army Generals along with the year of their appointment
Roscoe Robinson, Jr., 1982
Colin Powell, 1989
Johnnie E. Wilson, 1996
Larry R. Ellis, 2001
William Ward. 2006
Lloyd J. Austin, 2010
Dennis Via, 2012
Vincent K. Brooks 2013
Black Four Star Air Force Generals along with the year of their appointment
Daniel “Chappie” James, 1975
Bernard P. Randolph, 1987
Lloyd W. Newton, 1997
Lester Lyles, 1999
Edward A. Rice Jr., 2010
Larry O. Spencer, 2014
Darren W. McDew, 2014
Aside from the military forces of various nations on the African continent, I wonder what
other countries have appointed as many black people to high military leadership positions as the USA has.