Blacks Made More Advances Than Women During WWII

Although both blacks and women made gains during the war years, blacks made more gains than women did. During World War II, the government, “for the first time since Reconstruction[,]…had openly committed itself to making good…on some of the promises of American life for black citizens” (Kennedy 768). After the threat of Randolph’s bold march on Washington, FDR issued the Executive Order 8802, which called for no more “discrimination in the employment of defense industries or government” (767). The Executive Order also created the FEPC which would investigate and take action when industries did not comply. It can be argued that this was no change in the thinking of the government because FDR was almost forced to do it. However in 1943, the President “severely strengthened the FEPC” because he noticed that employees still discriminated against blacks (775).  The President even took it upon himself to amend the NLRB to encompass racial discrimination in unions as a reason for decertification (775). Both of these actions were the choice of the President, and they helped Blacks. In 1942, the CORE was established and fought for the “desegregation of restaurants, theaters, and municipal bus lines” (768). Though African Americans had fought for their rights before, during the war time, they were actually heard. These gains were the beginning of the momentum that would later start the Civil Rights Movement.

            It cannot be ignored that women made progress during this time period too. For example, there was a mass increase in the number of women who worked and of the women who worked, the majority were married (779). However, after the FEPC, there was a large increase in the employment of Blacks in occupations other than the usual as well: agriculture and service. Women and Blacks played a more prominent position in the military. However, where most women were forced to serve in non-combat roles, many blacks were given the chance to fight. Some regiments, especially in the Navy, even partially integrated their combat forces (774).  Rather than women becoming more independent, there was a backward emphasis on motherhood and the family being the right place for a woman, not a job (781). Therefore, Blacks not only also made the gains women did, but women lost some of their social independence they had earned in the early 1900’s.