The impact of WW2 (1939-45), desegregation, Little Rock (1957) on African American Civil Rights
- Created by: Alasdair
- Created on: 03-06-17 11:33
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- The impact of WW2 (1939-45), desegregation, Little Rock (1957)
- WW2
- Mobilisation of US manpower and economic resources
- Raised issues of equal treatment for AA workers and soldiers
- Roosevelt passed Executive Order 8587
- November 1940
- prohibited discrimination on basis of race, colour or creed
- Roosevelt passed Executive Order 8802
- June 1941
- Prevented discrimination in defence industries
- No legislation had as its primary objective any overall plan to increase racial equality or extend civil rights
- Roosevelt came under pressure to ensure a supply of labour for defence, and was also influenced by threat of a 100,000-strong 'March on Washington' organised by AA labour organiser, Philip Randolph
- There was 1,154,720 AAs in US armed forces from 1941 to 1945
- But fought in segregated units
- In war for freedom and democracy, racial segregation remained in armed forces and it was not until after war, in late 1945, that armed forces began to be desegregated
- Mobilisation of US manpower and economic resources
- Little Rock
- 1957
- Followed Brown v. Topeka Board of Education
- The NAACP enrolled nine AA students into Little Rock High School, Arkansas
- 9 denied entry by angry crowds, supported by Arkansas National Guard ordered in by Governor Orval Faubus
- Mayor of Little Rock asked for federal help and President Eisenhower sent (white) members of famous and highly trained 101 Airborne Division and put the Arkansas National Guard under federal control
- Students were allowed in, but faced harassment
- Faubus shut all public high schools, intending to privatise them and enforce segregation
- Desegregation
- After pressure from AA organisations, President Truman signed executive order in 1948 against segregation in military
- Executive Order 9981
- Signed 26 July 1948
- Executive Order 9981
- Truman appointed committee on civil rights in 1946 and gave special message to Congress on 2 February 1948 requesting key elements of later civil rights legislation
- Truman praised by AA activists for open support for civil rights
- Still no comprehensive civil rights legislation to return position to where it had been in early 1870s
- Eisenhower presidency
- 1952-60
- Did not see complete lack of progress
- 1955
- Yet another executive order stated principle of equal opportunity in federal employment
- Eisenhower was against ending 'separate but equal' principle
- Nevertheless gave federal support for desegregation of schools
- Civil Rights Act of 1957
- AAs right to vote was set down in law
- This act and subsequent one in 1960 did not achieve substantial numbers of AA voters
- By 1960, only 28% of Southern AAs of voting age were registered to vote
- In South, still cases where AA rights were infringed, and local juries did not enforce law
- After pressure from AA organisations, President Truman signed executive order in 1948 against segregation in military
- WW2
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