Navy to erase civil rights leaders' names from ships — starting with Harvey Milk

In its continued attempt to erase diversity, equity, and inclusion from U.S. history, the Trump administration is planning to rename several navy ships currently titled for civil rights leaders like Harvey Milk, Thurgood Marshall and Harriet Tubman, among others, CBS News reported.

The first ship to be renamed, according to documents reviewed by CBS, is the USNS Harvey Milk, which honors the navy veteran and the first openly gay politician in California's history. Milk was assassinated while serving on San Francisco's board of supervisors in 1978 and became an LGBTQ icon.

CBS News noted that the proposed timeline for renaming the ship comes during Pride Month, "the monthlong observance of the LGBTQ+ community that also coincides with the anniversary of the Stonewall uprising of 1969."

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Also on the Navy's renaming "recommended list" are the USNS Thurgood Marshall, USNS Ruth Bader Ginsburg, USNS Harriet Tubman, USNS Dolores Huerta, USNS Lucy Stone, USNS Cesar Chavez and USNS Medgar Evers.

CBS News also found "that a December 2024 web article from Naval Sea Systems Command about the laying of the keel for the future USNS Thurgood Marshall has been deleted."

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi told CBS News in statement, "The reported decision by the Trump Administration to change the names of the USNS Harvey Milk and other ships in the John Lewis-class is a shameful, vindictive erasure of those who fought to break down barriers for all to chase the American Dream."

She added, "Our military is the most powerful in the world – but this spiteful move does not strengthen our national security or the "warrior" ethos. Instead, it is a surrender of a fundamental American value: to honor the legacy of those who worked to build a better country."

CBS cited the navy memo that said "the renaming of naval ships was to realign the U.S. military with Trump administration priorities of 'reestablishing the warrior culture.'"

Read the CBS News story here.