#TBT: President Truman Ends Military Discrimination

 

     On July 26th, 1948, Harry Truman essentially launched the modern civil rights movement in the political arena when he signed Executive Order 9981, which banned discrimination in the military based on race, color, religion, and nation of origin. This language was later replicated in civil rights legislation signed by Eisenhower, Johnson, Obama, and other presidents.

     The military has often served as a launching point for oppressed peoples, including women, being able to prove themselves, which has contributed to expansive rights being granted. The executive order is considered one of Truman's greatest achievements and the official beginning of the civil rights movement as the first chief executive opposed segregation.