WWII and Truman Flashcards
What Executive Orders did Roosevelt pass? What commission did he set and why did he set it?
Nov 1940 Roosevelt passes Executive Order 8587 to ban discrimination based on race, colour, or creed. Executive Order 8802 passed in June 1941 to ban discrimination in defence during WWII (1941-5). Roosevelt set the Fair Employment Practises Commission in 1941. Likely due to pressure for defence production and main objective not civil rights. Philip Randolph also threatened 100,000 march on Washington. In the army 1.15 million African Americans served but remained in segregated units.
Who was Woodrow Crockett?
Woodrow Crockett was one of the first black pilots. In his last year of war he flew 149 missions and not one plane in the black squadron was shot down.
What were improvements after WWII for African Americans? What regression was seen?
: By the end of war 48% of African Americans were urban and voting in the South rose from 2% to 15%. In 16 states by 1945 black people held the balance of power in elections. In 1943 William L Dawson was appointed to Congress and William Haist made federal judge in 1949, white hostility as 500,000 AAs moved North for jobs leading to 1943 Detroit Riots where 34 died, in South segregation remained with 40% in substandard housing and Washington DC banning AAs from hotels, cinemas etc.
Outline Truman’s efforts for civil rights.
He appointed a committee on civil rights in 1946 and gave a speech to Congress in Feb 1948 requesting civil rights advancement. July 1948 Executive Order 9981 passed ending armed segregation.
What was To Secure These Rights?
In 1946 Truman requested a report on civil rights, To Secure These Rights, which highlighted – segregation in armed forces, police brutality with whipping and use of hoses, lynching, the pay gap (black citizens earned 47 cents an hour compared to 65 cents for white citizens).
What did Truman want to do and why was he limited?
Inspired reorganisation of Civil Rights Section of Justice Department, school integration, putting down police brutality and setting a Fair Employment Practises Act. Too idealistic as police and Southern governments were too racist to change and FEPC had little funding. Truman conceived a housing program for AAs but less houses than anticipated built.
What executive orders did Truman pass and what actions showed his support for civil rights?
Truman passes Executive Orders: ensured fair practise in civil service, 9981 – desegregating armed forces, 10308 – set Committee on Government Contract Compliance to refuse funding to discriminatory defence companies. Didn’t desegregate Dulles Airport in Washington DC but achieved the restaurant. In 1948 elections refused to bend to racist Southern Democrats and still won election.
