Executive Order 9981 at 70: Desegregating the Armed ForcesWar Room
July 23, 2018, streaming audio, 17:15.
July 26, 1948 saw a landmark event in U.S. military history, President Harry Truman’s signing of Executive Order (EO) 9981 directing the desegregation of the armed forces. Preceding the Civil Rights Act by more than a decade, this Executive Order was a groundbreaker — recognizing both the exemplary performance of African-Americans during World War II and their acceptance by white officers. This podcast is the first of two commemorating the seventieth anniversary of EO 9981 and its influence over the U.S. armed forces today. WAR ROOM welcomes Major General William Walker, Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard, who shares how integrating the armed forces opened doors for him and other African-Americans. U.S. Army War College Professor of Leadership and Cultural Studies Chuck Allen moderates.