Racism was widespread during World War II. Despite this, numerous African Americans served their nation with distinction throughout the war. Upon returning home, many were driven to increase their efforts in the fight for Civil Rights. These are the stories of five African American veterans who came back from the battlefield to engage in a new struggle for their rights.
Jackie Robinson Was Court-Martialed For Standing His Ground
Years before he broke baseball’s color barrier, Jackie Robinson was fighting for the rights of African Americans in the military. After being drafted into the Army, Robinson was sent to Fort Riley, Kansas. The former sports star at UCLA, along with a number of other African American draftees, applied for Officer Candidate’s School. Those applications were heavily delayed. Eventually, thanks to a push from boxing champ Joe Louis and government adviser Truman Gibson, the men were inducted into the school.
Robinson graduated from OCS and was commissioned as a second lieutenant.
Robinson’s issues did not end there, though. One day, the baseball star boarded an unsegregated bus and was ordered to sit in the back. He refused. Robinson was eventually court-martialed for his actions. While he was eventually acquitted, he didn’t go overseas due to the trial. Robinson, would, of course, break a major barrier by becoming the first black baseball player to play in the major leagues outside of the Negro league.
Hosea Williams Became A Trusted Confidant Martin Luther King Jr.
Hosea Williams, born in Georgia, served under George S. Patton during World War II. He was a talented soldier who rose to the position of staff sergeant within his all African-American unit. During the war, Williams’ unit was bombed by the Germans. All members of the unit other than Williams died. The staff sergeant found himself in a European hospital for more than a year and when he was released, he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After nobly serving his country, Williams expected to be treated differently once he came home. That was not the case. In a racially motivated incident, he was beaten by a white mob. He said of the incident, “I was deemed 100 percent disabled by the military and required a cane to walk. My wounds had earned me a Purple Heart. The war had just ended and I was still in my uniform for god’s sake! But on my way home, to the brink of death, they beat me like a common dog. The very same people whose freedoms and liberties I had fought and suffered to secure in the horrors of war … they beat me like a dog … merely because I wanted a drink of water.”
Following this experience, Williams became more deeply involved with the Civil Rights movement. He joined the SCLC and became a trusted confidant to Martin Luther King Jr.
Williams was also present alongside John Lewis during the Bloody Sunday March of 1964.
Amzie Moore Helped Grow The Clevland NAACP
Amzie Moore, a native of Mississippi, became engaged in Civil Rights activism even before the start of World War II. While working as a post office clerk, he became a member of the Black and Tan Party, a group of African American Republicans. Moore attended meetings where African Americans in Mississippi articulated their demands for equality.
After the start of World War II, Moore was drafted into the military, where he was profoundly troubled by the widespread racism he encountered. Reflecting on his time in service, he said, “Why were we fighting? Why were we there? If we were fighting for the four freedoms that Roosevelt and Churchill had talked about, then certainly we felt that the American soldier should be free first.”
Following his return from the war, Moore continued his Civil Rights activism. He worked with the Regional Council of Negro Leadership and was eventually elected President of the Cleveland Chapter of the NAACP. Under his direction, the chapter expanded to become one of the largest in the country.
Medgar Evers Bravely Fought To Integrate Busses And Drive Voters To The Polls
Medgar Evers was born and raised in Decatur, Mississippi, where he attended segregated schools. He joined the Army in 1943 and served until 1945, spending much of the war in the European theater, including participating in the Normandy landings. After returning home, he pursued higher education, earning a degree from what is now Alcorn State University.
Evers quickly emerged as one of the nation’s leading Civil Rights activists. He courageously worked to desegregate buses in the city and spearheaded voter registration initiatives. Throughout his efforts, he faced constant threats from a White supremacist group in Mississippi. On June 12, 1963, Evers was tragically assassinated in his driveway by Byron De La Beckwith, a member of that group.
Evers’ legacy of activism has been honored in various songs and films. On the 50th anniversary of his assassination, his contributions were commemorated with speeches by former President Bill Clinton, then-Attorney General Eric Holder, and Senator Roger Wicker.
Grant Reynolds Convinced Truman To Desegregate The U.S. Military
Grant Reynolds was born in Key West, Florida. Reynolds graduated from Eden Theological Seminary and later became a pastor at Mount Zion Congregational Temple in Cleveland, Ohio. When World War II broke out, Reynolds was eager to serve his country in whatever way he could. So he became a Chaplain in the United States Army.
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While in the service, though, Reynolds was appalled at the blatant racism within the military. He resigned from his post and soon helped to create the Committee Against Jim Crow in Military Service and Training. The pastor threatened civil disobedience where African Americans would refuse to cooperate with the draft board. As a result, Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the military.