American History-Civil Rights

American History-Civil Rights

During the years 1939 to 1953 the United States armed forces changed a policy of restricting and segregating the Negro into one that had equal opportunity and integration . This revolution took a great deal of time and struggle . Throughout American history the blacks in America considered their military service in the nation 's conflicts as proof of their loyalty and as a brief for their claim to full citizenship . At the same time white Americans appear to have realized this , and they always sought to restrict or reduce the

black soldier 's military service . The national armed forces always were the most integrated major segment of American life . Therefore , the desegregation of the United States Armed Forces has become truly a social revolution in American history . The extent of the desegregation of the United States Armed Forces was discussed several years ago and remains actual among historians to this day . The purpose of this study is to describe and evaluate the debate among historians concerning the desegregation of the United States Armed Forces and the Negro 's reaction to this policy . In reaching this goal the will also shed some light on American race relations during these years

With the World War II crisis of 1939-1945 , the questions of restriction discrimination , and segregation in the United States armed forces became one of two major problems for black Americans . Employment discrimination was also important , and this subject has been examined by historians Although employment discrimination was the chief everyday issue for Negroes in World War II , discrimination and segregation in the United States armed forces was the more emotionally charged issue . Most historians claim that a black revolution ' or revolt ' occurred in 1954 , 1955 , 1960 , or 1963 . Silberman (1964 ) writes that segregation was necessary to stop bloody racial conflict and a reduction of the armed services ' potency . Silberman is one of the spiciest critics of American race relations . In his book Crisis in Black and White , he reminded Americans that the United States is a racist society in a sense and to a degree that we have refused so far to admit , much less face (9-10 In 1950 , members of the Court obtained evidence from the President 's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services prior to some important decisions that pointed toward a reversal of the separate but equal position . In 1954 , before the important decision on desegregation , members of the Court read in manuscript form journalist Lee Nichols ' Breakthrough on the Color Front (1954 , the first book-length account of military integration

Usually North Carolinians - at least most white North Carolinians - tend to look back at the years 1939 to 1953 and their adjustment to changing times with pride . But historians reporting progress in the South seldom give North Carolina high marks . Writer Roland (1984 ) in his book on the South since World War II writes with considerable disappointment because the southern state with the best race relations prior to the Brown...