NAACP 1948

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The  National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), is a historic civil rights organization that was founded in 1909. Its founders, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mary White Ovington, Moorfield Storey, Ida B. Wells, Henry Moskowitz, and William English Walling, were a group of civil rights activists fighting to eliminate race-based discrimination. The mission of the NAACP was, and continues to be, to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of all US citizens. Throughout its history, the NAACP has been a significant player in civil rights victories, including the landmark Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 

On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, declaring that there shall be equal treatment and opportunities for anyone in the armed services, regardless of race, religion, or national origin. With this order the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services was established to oversee its implementation across all military branches. The NAACP played a crucial role in advocating for this policy through direct lobbying, public campaigns, and partnerships with other civil rights organizations like the National Urban League and CORE. The NAACP emphasized the contributions of African American soldiers during World War II to highlight the injustice of segregation. The organization published supportive stories and editorials, while organizing rallies and speeches to gather public support. By the start of the Korean War, only 2 years later, the U.S. military had made significant efforts towards desegregation, and integrated units were more common.