 NNOA is sanctioned by the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Homeland Security and is a member of the Navy and Marine Corps Council.LT Kenneth H. Johnson, while serving as Advisor for Minority Affairs at the United States Naval Academy in 1970, sought methods to improve minority interest in recruitment efforts and participation in the Naval Academy's Blue and Gold Program.In 1971, faced with finding qualified naval officer candidates from minority communities, CAPT Emerson Emory, CAPT Claude Williams, CDR Emmanuel Jenkins, CWO James Harris and LT Johnson began to discuss forming an organization to assist minority officer recruitment.