1. The Home Front & Discrimination During WWII
Do groups struggle for civil rights during World War II?

2. Positive Changes
War gets America out of the depression, unemployment 1.2%
Women helping in the war effort
GI Bill of Rights, 1944 help for veterans
a) provided ed. & training
b) easy to get home & business loans

3. African-Americans Many African American families moved to cities
African Americans in skilled or semi-skilled jobs rose from 16% to 30%
Unfortunately, many whites resented blacks moving into their neighborhoods
Detroit Riots break out – Army occupies city for 6 mos

5. Zoot Suit Riot: Summer of 1943
Tensions between Navy Sailors & Mexican-American youth in Los Angeles
11 Navy sailors claim they were attacked by “zoot-suiters”
Nearby soldiers at Chavez Ravine pour into Downtown LA
For an entire week, youths were beaten and stripped of their clothes, LAPD does little

6. Internment of Japanese-Americans
Jan 1942: evacuation of Hawaii’s Japanese pop. was ordered
Feb 1942: FDR signs Exec. Order 9066 that forces Japanese Amer. from WA, OR, NV, CA
10K were shipped to prison camp sites for “security” reasons, most were American citizens (btw no Germans and few Italians)
Japanese-Ams take case to Sup. Court in Korematsu v. United States, court rules US policy is justified “military necessity”