One notable figure in Black history and the U.S. Navy Master Diver program is Master Chief Carl Brashear. Brashear was the first African American to become a U.S. Navy Master Diver. Despite facing racism and discrimination during his career, Brashear persevered and became a trailblazer in the Navy's deep-sea diving operations.

Born in 1931 in Kentucky, Brashear joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 and later applied to become a Navy diver. Despite facing challenges and undergoing grueling training, Brashear qualified as a Navy diver in 1954. He went on to become a Master Diver in 1970, a significant achievement considering the barriers he faced as an African American in a predominantly white institution.

Brashear's story was later portrayed in the 2000 film "Men of Honor," starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Carl Brashear. Brashear's resilience and determination to succeed in the face of adversity have made him a symbol of inspiration in the U.S. Navy and beyond.