On July 26, 1948 Executive Order 9981 was issued by the U.S president Harry Truman. Executive Order 9981 put an end to racial segregation within the United States Military. Harry Truman declared that "There shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed forces without regard to race, color, religion or national origin". To give you an idea of how important blacks were in the army more than 100,000 served during the Civil War from 1861 to 1865. Many African American leaders strongly encouraged black men to serve in the army. African American leaders believed that by doing so it would prove their loyalty and courage and would earn respect in American society. By the end of the Korean War in 1953, segregation of buses, schools on military bases, and the U.S military was nearly compleately desegregated.
It took many more years after Executive Order 9981 for the military to follow the rules of Truman. De-Segregating the United States military was not officially ended unil September 30, 1954 when Secretary of Defense Charles Wilson announced that the last all black unit was no longer in existance. I think it was a move on Harry Trumans part to eliminate segregation in the United States Military. It is only fair that everyone has equal rights in the military. If a black person wants to fight in the military next to a white person they should be able to.
Sources
http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/February/20080225120859liameruoy0.9820215.html
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