Tracy High School
Document A
HA 2
How did World War II contribute to the Civil Rights Movement?
STAKE IN THIS FIGHT....WE ARE AMERICANS
TOO!”
“Being an American of dark complexion and some
26 years, these questions flash through my mind:
Should I sacrifice my life to live half American? Will
things be better for the next generation in the peace to
follow? Would it be demanding too much to demand
full citizenship rights in exchange for the sacrificing
of my life? Is the kind of America I know worth
defending? Will America be a true and pure
democracy after the war? Will Colored Americans
suffer still the indignities that have been heaped upon
them in the past? These and other questions need
answering; I want to know, and I believe every
colored American, who is thinking, wants to know...”
“The V for victory sign is being displayed
prominently in all so–called democratic countries
which are fighting for victory over aggression,
slavery, and tyranny. If this V sign means that to
those now engaged in this great conflict, then we
colored Americans adopted the double V V for a
double victory. The first V for victory over our
enemies from without, the second V for victory over
our enemies from within. For surely those who
perpetrate these ugly prejudices here are seeking to
destroy our democratic form of government just as
surely as the Axis forces.”
Thompson, James G. “Ray Elliot - 1939-1945: ‘Two
Wars to Win’.” Memorial Hall Museum
Online American Centuries Online. Home
page on-line.
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/cent
app/oh/story.do?shortName=elliot1939vv;
Internet; accessed 21 October 2015.
Document B
“Last week, without any public announcement or
fanfare, the editors of "The Courier" introduced its
war slogan—double "V" for a double victory to
colored America. We did this advisedly because we
wanted to test the response and popularity of such a
slogan with our readers. The response has been
overwhelming. Our office has been inundated with
hundreds of telegrams and letters of congratulations,
proving that without any explanation, this slogan
represents the true battle cry of colored America. ...
Americans all, are involved in a gigantic war effort to
assure the victory for the cause of freedom–the four
freedoms that have been so nobly expressed by
President Roosevelt and Prime Minister
Churchill....therefore we have adopted the Double
"V" war cry–victory over...our enslavers at home and
those abroad who would enslave us. WE HAVE A
The Pittsburg Courier. “Ray Elliot - 1939-1945:
‘Two Wars to Win’.” Memorial Hall
Museum Online American Centuries Online.
Home page on-line.
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/cent
app/oh/story.do?shortName=elliot1939vv;
Internet; accessed 21 October 2015.
Document C
“To procure jobs in the defense industries, A. Philip
Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping
Car Porters, called upon Negroes, in May, 1941, to
march onto Washington. The administration leaders
in Washington, he told the writer at that time, will
never give the Negro justice until they see masses—
ten, twenty, fifty thousand Negroes on the White
House lawn. The Negro public agreed, and
responded immediately. Both the NAACP and the
National Negro Congress supported the march
actively. Walter White brought his influence and
prestige of the movement. Thousands of dollars were
spent. Press and pulpit played decisive roles in
building up sentiment. The Pullman Porters became
couriers, carrying the word to Negro communities
throughout the country.
The March was scheduled to take place on July 1,
1941. A demonstration involving upwards of fifty
thousand Negroes in the nation’s capital was filled
with danger, and the administration recognized its
gravity. Four days before the appointed day,
Randolph was summoned to Washington. The
administration leaders made new pledges and
persuaded him to call off the march. A few days later
President Roosevelt, in a public statement, broadly
condemned racial intolerance and urged the country
to drop its bars against the employment of racial
minorities.
The masses of Negroes were bewildered by the
sudden turn of events; indeed, many of Randolph’s
own colleagues were disgruntled by the easy
conclusion of the affair. Nothing tangible had been
gained, they felt. The recent incidents at the army
camps and the chronic, acute unemployment bear
them out. Randolph lost much prestige as a leader.
And Negroes now appear to be taking the situation
into their own hands and stampeding their leaders,
with the result that newer and younger men now are
taking the helm.”
Ottley, Roi. The New Republic. November 10, 1941.
Document D
Tracy High School
HA 2
How did World War II contribute to the Civil Rights Movement?
“NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority
which carried a half million tons of supplies to the
vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes, and
advancing First and Third Armies through France.
as a prerequisite to the successful conduct of our
By 1945, however, troop losses virtually forced the
national defense production effort, I do hereby
military to begin placing more African American
reaffirm the policy of the United States that there
troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers,
shall be no discrimination in the employment of
medics, and officers in increasing numbers. In all
workers in defense industries or government because
positions and ranks, they served with as much honor,
of race, creed, color, or national origin, and I do
distinction, and courage as any American soldier did.
hereby declare that it is the duty of employers and of
Still, African American MPs stationed in the South
labor organizations, in furtherance of said policy and
often could not enter restaurants where their German
of this order, to provide for the full and equitable
prisoners were being served a meal.
participation of all workers in defense industries,
without discrimination because of race, creed, color,
On D-Day, the First Army on Omaha and Utah
or national origin;”
Beaches included about 1,700 African American
troops. This number included a section of the 327th
Roosevelt, Franklin D. ”Executive Order 8802.”
Quartermaster Service Company and the 320th AntiTeaching American History.org Online.
Aircraft Barrage Balloon Battalion, which protected
Home page on-line;
troops on the beach from aerial attack. Soon the allhttp://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/d
black 761st Tank Battalion was fighting its way
ocument/executive-order-8802/; accessed 21
through France with Patton’s Third Army. They
October 2015.
spend 183 days in combat and were credited with
capturing 30 major towns in France, Belgium, and
Germany.
Document E
“African Americans severed bravely and with
distinction in every theater of World War II, while
simultaneously struggling for their own civil rights
from “the world’s greatest democracy.” Although
the United States Armed Forces were officially
segregated until 1948, WWII laid the foundation for
post-war integration of the military. In 1941 fewer
than 4,000 African Americans were serving in the
military and only twelve African Americans had
become officers. By 1945, more than 1.2 million
African Americans would be serving in uniform on
the Home Front, in Europe, and the Pacific (including
thousands of African American women in the
Women’s auxiliaries).
During the war years, the segregation practices of
civilian life spilled over into the military. The draft
was segregated and more often than not African
Americans were passed over by the all-white draft
boards. Pressure from the NAACP led President
Roosevelt to pledge that African Americans would be
enlisted according to their percentage in the
population. Although this percentage, 10.6% was
never actually attained in the services during the war,
African American numbers grew dramatically in the
Army, Navy, Army Air Force, Marine Corps, and the
Coast Guard.
While most African Americans serving at the
beginning of WWII were assigned to non-combat
units and relegated to such duties as service duties,
supply, maintenance, and transportation, their work
behind front lines was equally vital to the war effort.
Many drove for the famous “Red Ball Express,”
The Army Air Force also established several Afrian
American fighter and bomber groups. The famous
“Tuskegee Airmen” of the 332nd Fighter Group
became part of the 15th Air Force, flying ground
support missions over Anzio and escorting bombers
on missions over Southern Italy. The Tuskegee
Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorites May 1943 and
June 1945. Bomber crews often requested to be
escorted by these “Redtails,” a nicknamed acquired
from the painted tails of Tuskegee fighter planes.
Sixty-six Tuskegee Airmen died in combat.
Stephen Ambrose identified the lamentable American
irony of WWII, writing, “The world’s greatest
democracy fought the world’s greated racist with a
segregated army” (Ambrose, Citizen Soldier).
During the global conflict, African Amerian leaders
and organizations established the “Double V:
campaign, calling for victory against racism at home.
This new black consciousness and the defiant
rejection of unjustifiable racism planted important
seeds for the post-War civil rights movement.”
The National World War II Museum. “African
Americans in World War II Fighting for a
Double Victory.” The National World War
II Museum Online.
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/assets/
pdfs/african-americans-in-world.pdf;
Internet; accessed 21 October 2015.