| During the years of 1939 through 1945, the United | | | | However, this law alone was not enough, because |
| States of America was facing two problems | | | | the white population - employers in particular - have |
| concerning racial issues. First, Hitler attacked and | | | | not been culturally and morally ready to easily hire |
| exterminated Gypsies and Jews in Europe, and | | | | blacks. As a result, such organizations as CORE have |
| started the Second World War. The United States | | | | been created, and other organizations such as |
| was fighting this "global antidiscrimination program" in | | | | NAACP have been asked for assistance. These |
| Japan, Italy, and France, having joined the allies. This | | | | organizations protected civil rights and fought for |
| war was the external race problem. The second race | | | | equal employment rights and desegregation. Only |
| issue was domestic and was directly related to the | | | | after intrusion of such organizations as NAACP and |
| internal interrelationships between the whites and the | | | | CORE, the FEPC began to demonstrate significant |
| blacks. While white people were only concerned with | | | | change, and the blacks have finally felt the economic |
| defeating Hitler and the Axis, the blacks were more | | | | growth themselves, working on jobs. It is important |
| preoccupied with the Double V, a concept that refers | | | | to note that blacks have been accepted both in |
| to effectively resolving both race problems, - | | | | general jobs, and in military, which means the blacks |
| external and internal. Thus, it was much harder for | | | | have been fighting for the Double V fully: at home, |
| the blacks to go through the war years, because | | | | and abroad. |
| first, those in the military served in much less | | | | The negative side of this fortunate story is that |
| acceptable conditions, and secondly, those at home | | | | although legally the blacks could not have been |
| have endured racial discrimination nearly everywhere | | | | pressed and discriminated, the white people needed |
| at home country. | | | | time to accept the new policy. Blacks have worked |
| The blacks have fought in nearly all American Wars, | | | | and served military services in much poorer |
| starting from the Civil War and ending with Vietnam | | | | conditions, sometimes so dangerous that there were |
| War. The World War II was not an exception. | | | | instances of deaths. Nonetheless, the spirit of blacks |
| However, racial issues in America and frictions | | | | to fight for the Double V was very strong despite |
| between the whites and the blacks have been very | | | | the failures and misfortunes. Kersten states in his |
| tense at those times (because Martin Luther King, Jr. | | | | article that FBI has concluded that "while cynicism |
| was only about 14 years old then), and the "colored | | | | was found in nearly every black community, so was |
| people" (a widely used term back then, which was | | | | the strong desire to aid the war effort." But these |
| not considered offending) were not only segregated, | | | | differences in job conditions and the informal |
| but were purposefully left aside from the growing | | | | attitudes of the whites could not leave the war |
| economy. The benefits were left for the whites. It is | | | | morale of the nation's forces unaffected. Kersten |
| common knowledge that wars fed American | | | | writes again that, "…although most |
| economy, however in both civilian and military sectors | | | | African-Americans supported the war, racism |
| blacks have experienced very tough times finding | | | | undercut the government's efforts to build a unified |
| jobs. Andrew E. Kersten, a professor from the | | | | nation at wartime." |
| University of Wisconsin, author of the article | | | | Eventually, over a million black soldiers served in |
| African-Americans and the World War II, included | | | | WW2. Despite the difficulties, there were prominent |
| statistical evidence of harsh job discrimination | | | | soldiers and regiments. Unfortunately, they only |
| instances, such as "in Indiana [African-Americans were | | | | received medals many years later during Clinton's |
| barred] 9,331 out of 9,979 [job openings] (94 | | | | Administration. |
| percent)." In addition, the military sector had even | | | | With the support of multiple civil organizations and |
| more harsh attitude towards black incumbents, which | | | | the legal support of the jurisdiction, the |
| were generally considered poorer soldiers. Thus, | | | | African-American population of the United States had |
| barring the multiple black vs. white bloody conflicts | | | | started to win domestic half of their Double V |
| which commonly occurred throughout the country | | | | agenda with multiple victims and blood. And on May |
| outside the workplace, the blacks were also | | | | 8th, 1945 with the defeat of fascism, the external |
| discriminated and segregated within their country, and | | | | part of this Double V agenda has also been |
| at the same time ironically, this allegedly democratic | | | | completed. Thus, African-Americans deserve double |
| country fought racism abroad. | | | | respect for their participation in the World War II, |
| Fortunately, Executive Order 8802, signed by | | | | because they were fighting two wars - at home and |
| contemporary President Franklin Roosevelt, has | | | | abroad - and won both! |
| changed the situation within the country up till now. | | | | Bibliography |
| The creation of Fair Employment Practices | | | | 1. National Association for the Advancement of |
| Committee was a turning point, where Franklin said, "I | | | | Colored People (NAACP). (2006). Wikipedia - the free |
| do hereby reaffirm the policy of the United States | | | | encyclopedia. Retrieved June 26th, 2006 from |
| that there shall be no discrimination in the | | | | 2. Congress of Racial Equality. (2006). Wikipedia - the |
| employment of workers in defense industries or | | | | free encyclopedia. Retrieved June 26th, 2006 from |
| government because of race, creed, color, or national | | | | 3. Martin Luther King, Jr. (2006). Wikipedia - the free |
| origin." The changes in black unemployment rates | | | | encyclopedia. Retrieved June 26th, 2006 from |
| (and in fact other demographic indicators such as | | | | 4. Professor Andrew E. Kersten. (2006). Green Bay. |
| death) have dropped immediately as the blacks | | | | University of Wisconsin. |
| migrated to the West and North for vacant jobs. | | | | |