Executive Order 9981

More than one million African American men were drafted into the Army during World War II, and, like in wars before, they were organized into separate units. The irony of fighting for freedom and a country that discriminated against them based on their race was all too apparent to African American soldiers.

The American Armed Forces were deemed "separate, but equal," however, reality told a different story. Civil Rights leaders began to lobby President Roosevelt and his successor President Truman for equal treatment within the military. On July 26, 1948, President Truman signed Executive Order 9981, desegregating the military, marking a massive success for the Civil Rights movement.

Executive Order 9981 Definition

Executive Order 9981 was an executive order signed by President Harry Truman on July 26, 1948. The Order ended segregation within the armed services and created the President's Committee on Equality and Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services.

Executive Order 9981 Summary

Like the majority of aspects of American life, the branches of the US military were segregated by race. African American soldiers and officers often faced discrimination by being relegated to smaller military administrative or service roles and rarely saw combat. Specific units were created for African American soldiers to keep the troops separated, where they were trained and housed separately and often in worse conditions than their white counterparts.

African Americans in the Military before Executive Order 9981

African Americans were relegated to their ranks throughout the American wars. They were enlisted, trained, and deployed with these units. Many of the units garnered national recognition for their service and were often given names, such as the Buffalo Soldiers during the Civil War, the Harlem Hellfighters of World War I, and the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Fig. 1 The Tuskegee Airmen.

The issue of discrimination against African Americans within the military and extended military operations was a well-known issue years before Executive Order 9981 was signed into being.

Even before the US was brought into World War II, Civil Rights leaders lobbied President Roosevelt to do something about African Americans' discrimination when trying to work in military industries. In June 1941, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802, which prohibited discrimination when hiring or training for defense jobs.

The passage of Executive Act 8802 and the implementation the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC) was just a small success. Executive Order 8802 failed to mention anything about the armed forces, which remained segregated until after World War II ended.

Truman Executive Order

President Truman allowed Roosevelt's FEPC to disband but soon created his own Civil Rights platform after World War II ended. On December 5, 1946, President Truman signed Executive Order 9808, which created a committee called the President's Committee on Civil Rights (PCCR).

The PCCR was ordered to produce a report that detailed the state of civil rights within the country. After close to a year of research, the PCCR, published the report titled "To Secure These Rights" in October of 1947. The report highlighted the various forms of discrimination that African Americans faced daily and listed recommendations on how the President could act to support the Civil Rights movement.

Executive Order 9981

The report's findings were clear, but President Truman knew that he would not have enough support in Congress to enact Civil Rights legislation to desegregate the military. To circumvent this challenge, President Truman decided to use his executive powers.

Fig. 2 President Harry S. Truman.

On July 26, 1948, President Truman signed Executive Order 9981. The Order marked an immediate ban on segregation and discrimination in the military. The Executive Order also created the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services. This Committee was to oversee the process of desegregation and to ensure it was completed within a timely manner.

However, it was not only internal studies and political pressure that led to President Truman signing Executive Order 9981. The signing of Executive Order 9981 also resulted from the hard work of many Civil Rights leaders.

Civil Rights Leaders and Executive Order 9981

The desegregation of the armed forces can also be attributed to the consistent work of many African American groups, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), who issued a report of their own called the "Declaration of Negro Voters," on March 27, 1948.

President Truman knew he needed the African American vote and support for his presidency. The Declaration outlined many of the demands he would need to meet to garner the help of the NAACP. One of those demands was the immediate desegregation and end of discrimination within the armed forces.

Fig. 3 Civil Rights Leader A. Phillip Randolph.

Another vital civil rights leader in the signing of Executive Order 9981 was A. Phillip Randolph. As a leading civil rights leader, he had immense influence, and let President Truman would not hesitate to use that influence. Randolph warned President Truman that if there were no executive order desegregating the armed forces, he would lead a protest of African Americans resisting the draft for the impending Korean War.

Executive Order 9981 Significance

The Executive Order officially ended segregation within all military branches, but it took time for it to be fully integrated. The Air Force led the way and became the first branch of the military to become integrated, followed closely by the Navy.

The Army dragged its feet, worried about morale and national security, and after six long years, the entirety of the Armed Forces were integrated. The Korean War was the first American war to integrate all military operations.

Fig. 4 Executive Order 9981 was signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1948.

Executive Order 9981 was one of the first Civil Rights legislations, which were often passed through executive orders. President Truman opened the door for future civil rights legislations, and the signing of Executive Order 9981 was a tremendous victory for the Civil Rights Movement.