How Executive Order 9981 Desegregated the U.S. Military

The enactment of Executive Order 9981 not only desegregated the U.S. military but paved the way for the civil rights movement as well. Before the order went into effect, African-Americans had a long history of military service. They fought in World War II for what President Franklin Roosevelt called the four essential human freedoms, even though they faced segregation, racial violence and lack of voting rights at home. When the United States and the rest of the world discovered the full extent of Nazi Germanys genocidal plan against Jews, white Americans became more willing to examine their own countrys racism. Meanwhile, returning African-American veterans became determined to root out injustice in the United States. In this context, the desegregation of the military took place in 1948. President Trumans Committee on Civil Rights After World War IIs end, President Harry Truman placed civil rights high on his political agenda. While details of the Nazis Holocaust shocked many Americans, Truman was already looking ahead to the near-certain conflict with the Soviet Union. To convince foreign nations to align themselves with Western democracies and reject socialism, the United States needed to rid itself of racism and begin practicing in earnest the ideals of freedom and liberty for all. In 1946, Truman established a Committee on Civil Rights, which reported back to him in 1947. The committee documented civil rights violations and racial violence and urged Truman to take steps to rid the country of the disease of racism. One of the points the report made was that African-Americans who serve their country did so in a racist and discriminatory environment. Executive Order 9981 Black activist and leader A. Philip Randolph told Truman that if he did not end segregation in the armed forces, African-Americans would start refusing to serve in the armed forces. Seeking African-American political support and wanting to bolster U.S. reputation abroad, Truman decided to desegregate the military. Truman did not think it likely that such legislation would make it through Congress, so he used an executive order to end military segregation. Executive Order 9981, signed on July 26, 1948, prohibited discrimination against military personnel because of race, color, religion or national origin. A Civil Rights Victory The desegregation of the armed forces was a major civil rights victory for African-Americans. Though a number of whites in the military resisted the order, and racism continued in the armed forces, Executive Order 9981 was the first major blow to segregation, giving hope to African-American activists that change was possible. Sources Desegregation of the Armed Forces. The Truman Library.  Gardner, Michael R., George M Elsey, Kweisi Mfume. Harry Truman and Civil Rights: Moral Courage and Political Risks. Carbondale, IL: SIU Press, 2003.Sitkoff, Harvard. African-Americans, American Jews, and the Holocaust. The Achievement of American Liberalism: The New Deal and Its Legacies. Ed. William Henry Chafe. New York: Columbia University Press, 2003, pp. 181-203.

Compare and Contrast ‘A desirable society’ Essay

Both Andre Brink’s ‘A Dry White Season’ and James Joyce’s ‘The Dead’ display two very different societies undergoing artistic, cultural and political transitions. In 1914, Ireland saw the Nationalist party at its peak, where Irish society was desperately searching for a sense of cultural identity and political stability. Joyce takes an apolitical approach in order to objectively show Dublin to his fellow Dubliners in his ‘nicely polished looking glass.’ Andre Brink, in comparison, documents a temporal shift into 1976, during the Soweto uprising, in which the non-white population of South Africa protested against the Nationalist Party’s apartheid regime. Brink, like Joyce, draws upon this inspiration to offer a truthful commentary upon†¦show more content†¦Brink describes in factual detail the atmosphere the Soweto uprising created; ‘The children massing in the school playgrounds like swarms of bees preparin g to leave their hives. The marches. The police. The gunshots. The dead and wounded carted off.’ (A Dry White Season 1998:41) Brink paints the reader a vivid picture of the atmosphere the Soweto uprising created. The short sentences each supply a snippet of information, as if Brink himself was a bystander towards the event. Isidore Diala comments upon how Brink recounts the Soweto uprising with precision and attention to detail: ‘Brink’s documentations of the facts of the Soweto riots are almost as rigorous as a faithful transcription of history.’ (History and the inscriptions of torture as purgatorial fire in Andre Brink’s fiction 2002:67) Brink suggests a real conflict in culture within this uprising. The Nationalist Party constantly tried to impose Afrikaans culture upon the South African citizens. However, due to its association with the apartheid regime, if anything the Nationalist Party’s persistence alienated the public from t heir own culture and forced them to adopt English customs which came about through British colonisation. 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Banneker Argument Essay Free Essays

Banneker Rough Draft #2 Decades before the Civil War, even when the nation was but a few years old, slavery played quite a controversial role in the United States. While writing the Declaration of Independence, exclusions of all references made to slavery avoided conflict in an attempt to hold the fragile young nation together during the critical period leading up to its independence. However, the leaders of the country knew the subject would pop up again. We will write a custom essay sample on Banneker Argument Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now Just a few short years later, as the country began to envision its future, the issue of slavery made another appearance. Many people, including free African-Americans such as Benjamin Banneker, argued against slavery. In his letter to Thomas Jefferson, Banneker argues in favor of abolition with respect and passion through his mastery of powerful diction, impassioned and reverent tone, and emotional appeal. Throughout the piece, Banneker reminds Jefferson of the struggle for independence. He recalls for Jefferson how discontented the colonies felt with King George’s tyranny. He supports his argument with key words from the Revolution, speaking of the â€Å"rights and privileges† bestowed upon the former colonists. He quotes Jefferson himself, pulling an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence which states that â€Å"all men are created equal. † However, many thought slaves simply property and not men, so did not seem applicable to the situation in their eyes. Banneker warns against hypocrisy, stating with loaded words such as â€Å"groaning captivity and cruel oppression† that Jefferson and the others would be just as tyrannical as King George should they just stand by and let slavery continue. Banneker feels quite passionately about this, something reflected by his tone. He feels obligated to act, because â€Å"so numerous a part of [his] brethren† were experiencing carnal treatment and abhorrent horrors and all he could do to help included sending a strongly-worded, yet most likely ineffective, letter to a political official. Banneker knows that unfortunately, despite his pedantic diction due to his extensive education, he holds less credibility than a white man during this point in time. So despite his passionate argument, the letter as a whole reflects respect. Banneker addresses Jefferson as â€Å"sir,† uses panegyrics, and towards the end of the letter he attempts flattery by stating â€Å"your knowledge of the situation†¦ is†¦ extensive. † This respect played a key role in Banneker’s letter being seriously considered. Banneker’s tone fuels his use of the appeal pathos. Banneker speaks of the times when â€Å"human aid appeared unavailable† to the colonies, when they seemed to have no hope. He attempts to evoke feelings of altruism from Jefferson by insisting that he possesses the ability to do what the French did for the colonies- help win the fight for freedom. Banneker reminds Jefferson how much he enjoys his freedom from England, something undeniable and labeled by Banneker as a â€Å"blessing of Heaven. † Banneker uses Jefferson’s intense value and love for liberty and equality to point out the urgency with which his brethren should be given rights and privileges â€Å"equal and impartial† to those of white men. Banneker’s fervent desperation for the freedom of his brethren seems almost tangible. The hypocrisy of the situation must have been understandably frustrating, but eventually, despite almost a century of waiting, slaves became emancipated in the United States. Word count: 536 How to cite Banneker Argument Essay, Essay examples

Dress Code Essay Example For Students

Dress Code Essay Dress Code Essay has been the biggest topic between the Board officials and parents. There have been many decisions and arguments that were worked out by administration and local school, often at the request of parents. There should be a dress code for students for several reasons. Many public schools today are making dangerous decisions and these decisions may end up saving someones life. The decisions are about school uniforms and dress codes. Public schools are beginning to open their eyes to the real world and see what their students are wearing and what the clothes are about. Some schools have banned any clothes with inappropriate symbols or sayings. Baggy wear is very dangerous. Schools are now even taking away the privilege of those clothes for the reason that weapons and other dangerous, illegal items may be smuggled in under loose pants, hats, shirts and jackets. The cost of maintaining a stylish wardrobe can be expensive. Many families have more important things to spend their money on than the image of school children. The dress code may be a way to keep the costs of school down for those families. In some schools, there has even been fighting or stealing based on expensive sneakers or jewelry. There are many clothes in fashion for boys and girls which are not appropriate for school dress. Good taste and common sense should dictate parental and student choice of school clothes. The school will determine what is not appropriate dress, even if it conforms to current fashion. Also, school dress should not be viewed as a daily fashion show. In this essay I had many compelling reason why there should be dress codes for students. I think that schools should have dress codes because it they can help people save money on other clothes such as brand name clothes, theses clothes can be very expensive and many kids steal them. Baggy clothes are very dangerous because students can carry guns or other illegal items into the schools. Many people are discriminated by what they wear but dress code doesnt discriminate anyone. Some clothes are not appropriate for schools, such as clothes that have inappropriate symbols or sayings. .