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Difficulty: HardWorld War II: Mobilization and Social Impact

Executive Order 8802, June 25, 1941:

"[I]t is the policy of the United States to encourage full participation in the national defense program by all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin... I do hereby declare that it is the duty of employers and of labor organizations... to provide for the full and equitable participation of all workers in defense industries, without discrimination because of race, creed, color, or national origin..."

The federal policy established in the excerpt was most directly a response to which of the following?

  1. A
    The rapid integration of the United States armed forces following the enactment of the peacetime draft in 1940.
  2. B
    Federal court rulings that declared racial segregation in government-contracted industries to be unconstitutional.
  3. A planned protest march on Washington, D.C., organized by African American civil rights and labor leaders.Answer
  4. D
    Legislative mandates attached to defense appropriations bills by a coalition of northern members of Congress.

Answer

A planned protest march on Washington, D.C., organized by African American civil rights and labor leaders.
The executive order was issued by President Roosevelt to prevent a planned march on Washington, D.C., organized by civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph to protest discrimination in defense hiring. The threat of a large-scale demonstration pressured the administration into taking federal action to secure fair employment practices in the defense industry.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the historical context of Executive Order 8802 and the Fair Employment Practice Committee (FEPC) established in 1941.
The order was issued in response to intense pressure from civil rights activists seeking equal opportunities in defense plants before US entry into the war.
Placing the document in its exact historical context helps identify the immediate catalysts for federal action.
2
Identify the key figure and event that directly pressured the Roosevelt administration.
A. Philip Randolph, head of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, threatened a march of 100,000 protesters on Washington to demand jobs and integration.
Connecting the grassroots movement to the executive response reveals the direct cause-and-effect relationship.
3
Analyze and eliminate incorrect historical developments.
The military remained segregated, the courts did not rule on employment discrimination under the Fourteenth Amendment at this time, and Congress did not legislate equal defense hiring.
Eliminating options with factual or chronological errors ensures the selection of the correct answer.

Key Concept

Wartime mobilization and its impact on civil rights activism, specifically the role of minority leaders in pressuring the federal government to address discrimination.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

World War II: Mobilization and Social Impact

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