The NAACP Says Replacing Miller’s Name Would Make a Mockery of the Legacy of Black Military Service
The United States Navy has been discussing removing the name of Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller off of their future aircraft carrier and replacing it with the incumbent president Donald Trump.
Carrier Named to Honor Enlisted Sailors
Writer Gary Ainsworth, in his 2026 article for The Hill, “Navy Reportedly Weighs Naming Aircraft Carrier for Trump Instead of Black Pearl Harbor Hero”, writes, “The Navy has been discussing renaming the future USS Doris Miller, the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier designated CVN-81…the carrier was named for Miller in January 2020 during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor.
At the time, Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly said the selection recognized not only Miller, but generations of enlisted sailors. ‘In selecting this name, we honor the contributions of all our enlisted ranks, past and present, men and women, of every race, religion and background,’Modly said”.
Dorie Miller Became a Pearl Harbor Hero
Dorie Miller has been a well known historical figure. Doris “Dorie” Miller, born in Waco, Texas, on October 12, 1919, became a mess attendant—a person hired to handle cleaning, cooking, and serving duties—for the U.S. Navy in 1939. He became a recognized hero just two years later, when he stepped up to help his crew members during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
NAACP Responds to Possible Renaming
News of this renaming has created a discourse around the changing of the name. Especially for the fact that Donald Trump is not a hero and it begs the question why someone who is not a hero would be honored by a namesake for a naval aircraft carrier.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson recently spoke out in a statement to The Root: “For generations, millions of Black women and men have proudly served in the United States military, defending freedoms that too often were not even afforded to them, their families, or their communities. Donald Trump is making a mockery of that legacy by treating military service as another opportunity for personal branding. Our brave service members signed up to defend the nation, not the fragile ego of one man. America deserves better than this,” he said.
Miller’s Legacy Belongs to American History
It is safe to say Mr. Johnson’s sentiments reflect the opinions of all Black people in America. Dorie Miller died fighting for a country that only saw him as nothing more than a Black man. He died defending a country that never defended him. His name and legacy has been recounted across not only Black history but American history as well.
No Final Decision Announced
There is no final word if the renaming will take effect and no other comments have come from the Trump Administration.
