06/02/2026
A mother and daughter have made history at the United States Naval Academy.
Retired Navy Captain Timika Lindsay and her daughter Ensign Elise Lindsay both graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. They are the first African American mother-daughter duo to graduate from the academy in its 177-year history.
Timika Lindsay graduated in 1992. She went on to serve 30 years in the Navy, reaching the rank of Captain before retiring in 2021. Elise Lindsay graduated on May 26, 2023, and was commissioned as an Ensign.
Both completed the academy’s demanding four-year program, which includes rigorous academic study, physical training, and leadership development. Timika’s service and example inspired her daughter to follow the same path. Their achievement represents a generational legacy of military service.
This milestone has been recognized by the Naval Academy and highlighted in news reports as a historic first for African American women at the institution.
(Photo: Retired Captain Timika Lindsay/Elise Lindsay)
