African Americans in WWII

Discrimination in the Armed Forces Marine Corps and Army Air Corps – refused to accept African-American enlistees Navy – accepted them on an as-needed basis Army – accepted them only as replacement in existing African-American units

Life in the Military Boot camps – Segregated – Hostile Subordinate jobs – rarely in combat units

Troops in WWII 99th Pursuit Squadron –Tuskegee Airmen – it was the first African-American unit (1941) – flew in the North African Campaign. 332nd Fighter Group –bomber escort unit – only fighter group without a single escort bomber casualty. Dorie Miller – Mess attendant at Pearl Harbor – shot down two enemy planes & received Navy Cross

Troops continued African-Americans in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – built roads in the Pacific Red Ball Express – A massive convoy that supplied troops – 75% were African Americans 6888th Postal Battalion – A unit of African-American women – mail redistribution to the front line. 92nd Infantry Division –Buffalo Soldiers – lost nearly a third of its men during the Italian campaign.

“What This Country Needs Is a Good Mental Insecticide” PM (June 11, 1942)

“Listen maestro…if you want to get real harmony, use the black keys as well as the white!” PM (June 29, 1942)

mall/ GIF

Only in America ONLY, IN AMERICA— Can a child Sit and Dream: Golden Dreams. Fantastic Dreams, Dreams that are aggrandized; And then awake one morning, To find them Realized! ONLY, IN AMERICA— Can a mother tell her Son Someday, You’ll be the President! Leader of the Mass! And before Age tints with silver tones, This thing has come to pass. ONLY, IN AMERICA— Can a Man boldly say; He doesn’t like the government Or the men who run the state: Here the laws are FOR THE PEOPLE: This does not alternate. ONLY, IN AMERICA— Is a whole Nation Free; Free to vote, To enterprise, With impartiality; And Opportunity lends to ALL A Free and Equal hand… Did I say ALL? Well, that is ALL except the Negro Man. --Rhoza A. Walker, The Crisis, February 1945.

United We Win Photograph by Alexander Liberman, 1943

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty by David Stone Martin

Private Joe Louis Says-- * Joe Louis was a famous heavyweight boxing champion

1943- Inspiring WWII production poster featuring African-American soldier Obie Bartlett who lost his right arm at Pearl Harbor and continued in the war effort as a welder.

Tuskegee Airmen

2. In what ways did African-Americans who volunteered for the armed services during World War II encounter discrimination? (Both the Marine Corps and Army Air Corps refuse to accept African-American enlistees; the Navy accepts them on an as-needed basis, while the Army accepts them only as replacement in existing African-American units; recruits are put in segregated units in boot camp and experience discrimination and hostility; they are placed in subordinate jobs and never in combat units.) 3. Describe the contributions of each of the following African-American individuals or units during World War II: 99th Pursuit Squadron – (Also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, it was the first African- American unit, formed by the War Department in 1941 and flew in the North African Campaign.) 332nd Fighter Group – (African-American bomber escort unit that ended the war as the only fighter group without a single escort bomber casualty.) Dorie Miller – (Mess attendant aboard the U.S.S. West Virginia during the bombing of Pearl Harbor who shoots down two enemy planes in spite of having had no training.)

African-Americans in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – (They help build the 300- mile Ledo Road from India to western China and the 1,500-mile Alcan Highway from British Columbia to Alaska.) Red Ball Express – (A massive convoy that supplies troops in Western Europe; 75% of the drivers are African-American.) 6888th Postal Battalion – (A unit of African- American women who break all records for mail redistribution to the front line.) 92nd Infantry Division – (Also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, the division lost nearly a third of its men in harsh fighting during the Italian campaign.)

We say glibly that in the United States of America all men are free and equal, but do we treat them as if they were?... There is religious and racial prejudice everywhere in the land, and if there is a greater obstacle anywhere to the attainment of the teamwork we must have, no one knows what it is. Arthur Upham Pope, Chairman of the Committee for National Morale, in America Organizes to Win the War

Why was Uncle Sam doing what he was doing? What was that saying about American public opinion? Why did Uncle Sam say what he said? What was that saying about American public opinion?