The President and African Americans
Evaluating Executive Orders
A Lesson from
the Education Department
The National WWII Museum
945 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 528-1944
www.nationalww2museum.org/learn/education
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The President and African Americans
Evaluating Executive Orders
Primary sources can be documents, pictures, interviews with someone who lived through the time period
being studied, or artifacts that were produced during a certain time. Instead of merely reading secondhand descriptions (secondary sources) about presidential decisions, an historian will also want to look at
those people’s own writings. Executive orders are directives that the president may make without
approval of the Congress, and often show his will and opinions more clearly than bills he signs into law.
OBJECTIVE:
By reading two presidential executive orders and answering questions about
them, students will learn about the efforts of the federal government to address
discrimination in the United States before and after WWII. Students will gain a
broader understanding between the theory and practice of the law.
GRADE LEVEL:
9-12
COMMON CORE STANDARDS:
ELA Anchor Standards for Reading and Writing:
CCRA.R.2 Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their
development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas.
CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of
a text.
CCRA.R.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text,
including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of
the evidence.
CCRA.W.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex
ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection,
organization, and analysis of content.
CCRA.W.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development,
organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
Literacy in History/Social Studies:
RH.9-10.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and
secondary sources, attending to such features as the date and origin of the
information.
RH.9-10.6 Compare the point of view of two or more authors for how they treat
the same or similar topics, including which details they include and emphasize in
their respective accounts.
RH.11-12.9 Integrate information from diverse sources, both primary and
secondary, into a coherent understanding of an idea or event, noting
discrepancies among sources.
HISTORY STANDARDS:
History Thinking Standard 4—the student interrogates historical data by
uncovering the social, political, and economic context in which it was created.
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Historical Thinking Standard 5—the student identifies issues and problems in the
past and analyzes the interests, values, perspectives, and points of view of those
involved in the situation.
TIME REQUIREMENT: One class period.
MATERIALS: Copies of Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802 and Truman’s Executive Order 9981
“Evaluating Executive Orders” student worksheet
Fact sheet: African Americans in World War II: Fighting for a Double Victory
KEY TERMS:
 Double-Victory: the term given to the wartime civil rights campaign by African American leaders
and organizations during WWII which called for the defeat of fascism and the enemy abroad and
the defeat of segregation at home in the United States.
 Executive Order: a directive that a U.S. president may make without the approval of Congress.
 Jim Crow laws: state and local laws that were passed after the American Civil War through the
1960s which were designed to enforce segregation and discrimination against African Americans
and other minorities. These laws were named after a black character in minstrel shows.
 Point of view: a position from which someone or something is observed; the mental position or
attitude from which a story is observed or narrated
 Primary source: an original or first-hand document, story or object that was created by someone
during the time period under study
 Secondary source: an account, object, or interpretation of an event which was created by
someone without first-hand experience of the time period under study.
 Segregation: the practice or policy of creating separate facilities and laws for minorities; often
refers to the system of discrimination against African Americans that was established in the South
after the Civil War.
 Service unit: a non-combat military group responsible for providing support services to fighting
troops like construction or food preparation.
PRIOR KNOWLEDGE:
This lesson can correspond with the study of African American participation and roles during WWII or be
used as a review of primary and secondary historical sources.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Review the terms/concepts of primary and secondary sources with your class. Introduce the lesson
with a brief summary of African American experiences during WWII and highlight important ideas and
vocabulary such as segregation and the “Double Victory” campaign. You may find the African
Americans in WWII fact sheet and key terms list above helpful for this task. The fact sheet can be
read aloud to the class or passed out for them to read on their own the night before the lesson.
2. Review the three branches of the U.S. government and ask students about how laws are made. (Bill
is introduced by either the House of Representatives or the Senate and is voted upon by both
Houses. The president can either sign it into law or veto it and send it back to both Houses to begin
the process again.) Introduce students to the concept of an Executive Order, where a president may
issue a directive without the approval of Congress.
3. Pass out copies of the Executive Orders by Roosevelt and Truman to students to read to themselves
or aloud to the class. (Alternately, teachers may want to divide students into pairs or the class in half
and assign them one memo to read and analyze on their own, then reconvene the entire class for a
discussion of their findings.) Before they begin, ask the students: “Why might a president want to
use an executive order to make a law?” Hold a short discussion about the legal language used in
these orders—it may be an unfamiliar style to many students. Discuss any unfamiliar words or have
students look them up in a dictionary.
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4. Tell students to underline key words and important phrases while they are reading the executive
orders, and to list or circle any other words that they don’t understand. They should also write the
main idea of each paragraph in the left-hand margin of the executive order sheet.
5. Pass out worksheet questions for students to complete.
6. Have a class discussion based on the student’s answers. Spend extra time with questions 5, 9, and
10.
ASSESSMENT:
Components for assessment include the worksheet and the class discussion.
ENRICHMENT:
1. Have students outline their own executive orders as if they were the president.
These orders should focus on a national issue that they care about. Remind
students that the president can only issue executive orders regarding matters
within the Executive Branch of government. This will require some research into
the president’s powers.
2. Students can learn more about the context of Roosevelt’s Executive Order
8802 and its implementation by exploring the propaganda and workplace realities
of African Americans, women and other Americans in wartime production work.
They can begin their research by visiting the online exhibit Manufacturing Victory:
The Arsenal of Democracy and develop a presentation or written response to the
following questions: How effective do you think EO 8802 was in reducing
discrimination in the workplace during the war? What steps have been
taken in recent years to achieve more equal treatment in the workplace for
all Americans?
3. Have students listen to one or more of the following WWII oral histories about
the experiences of African Americans in the military at http://ww2online.org. How
do these stories inform your understanding of both executive orders, and
Truman’s need to pass EO 9981, in particular?
 Vernon Baker: Army, Medal of Honor recipient
 Wallace Baptiste: Navy, USS Hopkins
nd
 Joseph Hairston: Army, 92 Infantry Division (NOTE: this interview
contains strong and graphic language)
 William Holloman III: U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve
nd
 John Leahr: 332 Fighter Group, Tuskegee Airman
nd
 Charles McGee: 332 Fighter Group, Tuskegee Airman
 Eugene Tarrant: Navy, USS San Francisco
4. Students can also place both presidents’ executive orders within the larger
context of the Home Front by examining the experiences of African Americans
and other high school students during WWII. Compare and contrast yearbooks
from the Museum’s See You Next Year! High School Yearbooks website at
ww2yearbooks.org. Specific yearbooks of interest include all African American
Dunbar High School (Dayton, Ohio) and segregated Topeka High School
(Topeka, Kansas). The latter high school and school system would be featured
10 years later in the landmark civil rights Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme
Court case and decision in 1954.
RESOURCES:
The National WWII Museum
 Fighting for the Right to Fight exhibition: www.righttofightexhibit.org
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The Digital Collections of The National WWII Museum: ww2online.org
Focus On: African Americans in WWII feature
Focus On: Tuskegee Airmen feature
Focus On: Vernon Baker feature
Home Front lesson plans: People of Color
Manufacturing Victory: The Arsenal of Democracy website:
www.manufacturing-victory.org
See You Next Year! High School Yearbooks from WWII website:
ww2yearbooks.org
Virtual Field Trip: Double Victory: African Americans in WWII
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Executive Order 8802 Establishing the Committee on Fair Employment Practice
Franklin D. Roosevelt, The White House, June 25, 1941
Background: More than a year before the United States entered WWII the country began building up its defense
capabilities. Many factories refused to hire black workers. African American civil rights leaders like A. Philip Randolph
pressured President Roosevelt to address this racial discrimination. Bowing to this pressure, the president issued this
executive order.
Whereas it is the policy of the United States to encourage full participation in the national defense
program by all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin, in the firm
belief that the democratic way of life within the Nation can be defended successfully only with the help
and support of all groups within its borders; and
Whereas there is evidence that available and needed workers have been barred from
employment in industries engaged in defense production solely because of consideration of race, creed,
color, or national origin, to the detriment of workers' morale and of national unity:
Now, Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes, and
as a prerequisite to the successful conduct of our national defense production effort, I do hereby reaffirm
the policy of the United States that there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in
defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin, and I do hereby
declare that it is the duty of employers and of labor organizations to provide for the full and equitable
participation of all workers in defense industries, without discrimination because of race, creed, color, or
national origin;
And it is hereby ordered as follows:
1. All departments and agencies of the Government of the United States concerned with
vocational and training programs for defense production shall take special measures appropriate to
assure that such programs are administered without discrimination because of race, creed, color, or
national origin;
2. All contracting agencies of the Government of the United States shall include in all defense
contracts hereafter negotiated by them a provision obligating the contractor not to discriminate against
any worker because of race, creed, color, or national origin;
3. There is established in the Office of Production Management a Committee on Fair Employment
Practice, which shall consist of a Chairman and four other members to be appointed by the President.
The Committee shall receive and investigate complaints of discrimination in violation of the provisions of
this Order and shall take appropriate steps to redress grievances which it finds to be valid. The
Committee shall also recommend to the several departments and agencies of the Government of the
United States and to the President all measures which may be deemed by it necessary or proper to
effectuate the provisions of this Order.
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Executive Order 9981 Desegregating the Armed Forces of the United States
Harry S Truman, The White House, 1948
Background: Three years after the end of WWII, President Truman issued this executive order integrating the
country’s military. With pressure from African American civil rights leaders and with recognition of the contribution that
African American service men and women made during the war, Truman used his powers to reverse more than 170
years of discrimination in military.
Whereas it is essential that there be maintained in the armed services of the United States the
highest standards of democracy, with equality of treatment and opportunity for all those who served in our
country’s defense:
Now, therefore, by virtue of the authority invested in me as President of the United States, and as
Commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows:
1. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment
and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national
origin. This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to
effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.
2. There shall be created in the National Military Establishment an advisory committee to be
known as the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services,
which shall be composed of seven members to be designated by the President.
3. The Committee is authorized on behalf of the President to examine into the rules, procedures
and practices of the armed services in order to determine in what respect such rules, procedures and
practices may be altered or improved with a view to carrying out the policy of this order. The Committee
shall confer and advise with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the
Navy, and Secretary of the Air Force, and shall make such recommendations to the President and to said
Secretaries as in the judgment of the Committee will effectuate the policy hereof.
4. All executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government are authorized and
directed to cooperate with the Committee in its work, and to furnish the Committee such information or the
services of such persons as the Committee may require in the performance of its duties.
5. When requested by the Committee to do so, persons in the armed services or in any of the
executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall testify before the Committee and
shall make available for use of the Committee such documents and other information as the Committee
may require.
6. The Committee shall continue to exist until such time as the President shall terminate its
existence by Executive Order.
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The President and African Americans
Evaluating Executive Orders
Student Worksheet
Directions: After reading the two executive orders, answer the following questions. Some questions will
require you to use your knowledge of the time period in addition to the material included. If you use
quotes, be sure to put quotation marks around them and cite them properly.
1. True or false: according to Executive Order 8802, in 1941 it was the policy of the United States to
encourage everyone in the country to help win the war no matter who they were or where they came
from.
2. Who is President Roosevelt referring to when he speaks of the detriment (negative impact) of
workers’ morale—whose morale is suffering?
3. What gives President Roosevelt the authority to establish the Committee on Fair Employment
Practice?
4. In what areas does Executive Order 8802 bar discrimination?
5. Was Executive Order 8802 successful? What other primary sources from the early 1940s could you
use to defend your answer?
6. Why does President Truman declare that it is important to desegregate the armed forces?
7. When does Truman’s policy go into effect?
8. Who will oversee the desegregation of the armed forces and how will they do it?
9. Was Executive Order 9981 successful? What other primary sources could you use to defend your
answer?
10. What are the pros and cons of using this type of primary source for historical research?
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African Americans in World War II
Fighting for a Double Victory
African Americans served bravely and with distinction in every theater of World
War II, while simultaneously struggling for their own civil rights at home. Although
the United States Armed Forces were officially segregated until 1948, WWII laid
the foundation for post-war integration of the military. When the U.S. entered the
war in 1941, more than 2.5 million African Americans registered for the draft. By
1945, over 1 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 service duties, such as supply, maintenance, and transportation, their work behind front lines was
equally vital to the war effort. Many drove for the famous “Red Ball Express,” which carried a half million tons
of supplies to the advancing First and Third Armies through France. By 1945, however, troop losses virtually
forced the military to begin placing more African American troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers,
medics, and officers in increasing numbers. In all positions and ranks, they served with as much honor,
distinction, and courage as any American soldier did. Still, African American MPs stationed in the South often
could not enter restaurants where their German prisoners were being served a meal.
On D-Day, the First Army on Omaha and Utah Beaches included nearly 2,000 African American troops. This
number included a section of the 327th Quartermaster Service Company and the 320th Anti-Aircraft Barrage
Balloon Battalion, which protected troops on the beach from aerial attack. Soon the all-black 761st Tank
Battalion was fighting its way through France with Patton’s Third Army. They spent 183 days in combat and
were credited with capturing 30 major towns in France, Belgium, and Germany. For this, the 761st Tank
Battalion received the Presidential Unit of Citation for “extraordinary heroism.”
The Army Air Force also established several African 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. During the war, they flew over
1,500 missions. Bomber crews often requested to be escorted by these “Redtails,” a nicknamed acquired from
the painted tails of Tuskegee fighter planes. Approximately 150 Tuskegee Airmen died in training and in
combat.
Stephen Ambrose identified the lamentable American irony of WWII, writing, “The world’s greatest democracy
fought the world’s greatest racist with a segregated army” (Ambrose, Citizen Soldier). During the global conflict,
African American leaders and organizations established the “Double V” campaign, calling for victory against
the enemy overseas and 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 WWII Museum honors the contributions of African Americans in World War II.
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