DARWIN BRANDIS / ISTOCK

A century-old scandal at 
the U.S. Naval Academy 
continues to resonate 
today.

A High Tide of Hate? 
A High Tide of Hate? 

T

he year 1922 was at the beginning of 
the decade that became known as the 
“Roaring Twenties.
” Many of the inno-
vations and notable personalities of this decade 
— Babe Ruth, the dawn of the Radio Age and 
Charles Lindbergh's historic flight — provided 
the energy and excitement for this remarkable 
and unforgettable decade.
Yet the decade also had a dark side, which 
some have referred to as the “Tribal Twenties.
” 
The Tribal Twenties were infested with intol-
erance and hate, resulting in the revival of 
the Ku Klux Klan, a rise of antisemitism, the 
adoption of quotas in immigration and col-
lege admissions, anti-Black riots, lynchings 
and other manifestations of bigotry. And we 

must not forget Henry Ford and his notorious
Dearborn Independent, the antisemitic primer 
of its day.

With that as a backdrop, consider an appall-
ing incident that occurred at the United States 
Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 
1922.
Just over a century ago, a shocking page in 
the Naval Academy yearbook dishonored the 
United States and provoked a national uproar. 
The page is from the 1922 edition of the 
Naval Academy yearbook, known as the Lucky 
Bag. On the left is a photograph of Jewish 
graduate Leonard Kaplan with a caption 
that he wrote describing his background and 
achievements at the academy.
On the right is a fictional “graduate” of the 
class that was designed to be a cartoon par-
ody of Kaplan. The caricature was given the 
nickname “Porky,” an apparent swipe at Jews. 
A newspaper at the time described 
the caricature of Porky as 
an “unshaven, 

disheveled, thuggish-looking person.
” The 
sketch was humiliating. Furthermore, 
Porky's caption mocking Kaplan contained 
numerous denigrating and antisemitic state-
ments. 
For example, in spite of the fact that Kaplan 
was a top student in his class, the parody 
referred to the fictional “Porky” as “below 
average.
” While Kaplan’s caption indicated he 
was born in the township of Weston in the 
state of West Virginia, the spoof asserted he 
was born in the “township of Zion” in the 
“State of Ignorance.
” 
In addition, the satire ridiculed Kaplan by 
claiming he was educated at the “Convent of 
Zion” and at “Zion City Collech.
” The three 
references to “Zion” led many to conclude that 
the spoof indeed had antisemitic undertones. 
Although the yearbook 
included whimsical and 
capricious comments 
about other graduates, 
Kaplan was the only 
graduate viciously 
mocked by a cartoon 
character and a derogatory 
caption in the 1922 Lucky Bag.

continued on page 16

— Babe Ruth, the dawn of the Radio Age and 
Charles Lindbergh's historic flight — provided 
the energy and excitement for this remarkable 
and unforgettable decade.

Yet the decade also had a dark side, which 

some have referred to as the “Tribal Twenties.
” 

The Tribal Twenties were infested with intol-
erance and hate, resulting in the revival of 
the Ku Klux Klan, a rise of antisemitism, the 
adoption of quotas in immigration and col-
lege admissions, anti-Black riots, lynchings 
and other manifestations of bigotry. And we 

ing incident that occurred at the United States 
Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 
1922.

Just over a century ago, a shocking page in 

the Naval Academy yearbook dishonored the 
United States and provoked a national uproar. 

The page is from the 1922 edition of the 

Naval Academy yearbook, known as the Lucky 
Bag. On the left is a photograph of Jewish 
Bag. On the left is a photograph of Jewish 
Bag
graduate Leonard Kaplan with a caption 
that he wrote describing his background and 
achievements at the academy.

On the right is a fictional “graduate” of the 

class that was designed to be a cartoon par-
ody of Kaplan. The caricature was given the 
nickname “Porky,” an apparent swipe at Jews. 
A newspaper at the time described 
the caricature of Porky as 
an “unshaven, 

ments. 

For example, in spite of the fact that Kaplan 

was a top student in his class, the parody 
referred to the fictional “Porky” as “below 
average.
” While Kaplan’s caption indicated he 

was born in the township of Weston in the 
state of West Virginia, the spoof asserted he 
was born in the “township of Zion” in the 
“State of Ignorance.
” 

In addition, the satire ridiculed Kaplan by 

claiming he was educated at the “Convent of 
Zion” and at “Zion City Collech.
” The three 

references to “Zion” led many to conclude that 
the spoof indeed had antisemitic undertones. 

Although the yearbook 
included whimsical and 

capricious comments 
about other graduates, 
Kaplan was the only 
graduate viciously 
mocked by a cartoon 

character and a derogatory 

caption in the 1922 

continued on page 16

During his distinguished naval career 
after the graduating from the U.S. Naval 
Academy, Leonard Kaplan supervised 
construction of the USS North Carolina,
among other large naval vessels that helped 
win World War II.

