This report provides relevant background on US navy ship naming: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS22478.pdf https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS22478.pdf

This report provides relevant background on US navy ship naming: https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS22478.pdf https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS22478.pdf For ship types now being procured for the Navy, or recently procured for the Navy, naming rules can be summarized as follows:  Aircraft carriers are generally named for past U.S. Presidents. Of the last 14, 10 were named for past U.S. Presidents, and 2 for Members of Congress.  Virginia (SSN-774) class attack submarines are being named for states.  Destroyers are named for deceased members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, including Secretaries of the Navy.  Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) are being named for regionally important U.S. cities and communities.  Amphibious assault ships are being named for important battles in which U.S. Marines played a prominent part, and for famous earlier U.S. Navy ships that were not named for battles.  San Antonio (LPD-17) class amphibious ships are being named for major U.S. cities and communities, and cities and communities attacked on September 11, 2001.  John Lewis (TAO-205) class oilers, previously known as TAO(X)s, are being named for people who fought for civil rights and human rights.  Lewis and Clark (TAKE-1) class cargo and ammunition ships were named for famous American explorers, trailblazers, and pioneers.  Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPFs), previously called Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSVs), are being named for small U.S. cities.  Expeditionary Transport Docks (ESDs) and Expeditionary Sea Bases (ESBs), which were previously called Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) ships and Afloat Forward Staging Bases (AFSBs), respectively, are being named for famous names or places of historical significance to U.S. Marines. So basically there has been reserved a class of ships (oilers) that are all going to be named after Civil Rights activists.