Meet the Highest-Ranking Black Woman in the U.S. Coast Guard’s 233-Year History

Merchant, with nearly 27 years in the Coast Guard, said she could never have imagined where she is now. Joining initially just for college debt assistance, she now stands as one of the top emergency managers in the USCG, specializing in large-scale, multi-jurisdictional incident responses.Merchant, who is from Mississippi, graduated from Tougaloo College, an HBCU. While pursuing her career in the Coast Guard, she continued her education and earned advanced degrees from George Washington University and the National Graduate School at New England Institute of Business. She’s also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and a fellow at MIT.

Her impactful career includes commanding maritime operations in Chicago and serving in Texas City, Miami, and New Orleans. Merchant has been recognized with various military honors, including medals and commendations.

Throughout her career, Merchant quickly climbed the ranks, shattering color and gender barriers. She is often the first minority and woman in her leadership roles. In fact, her role as the captain of the Port of New York is historic as she is the first-ever minority to hold this position.