What was the Double V Campaign?

Black WWII Heroes America Tried to Forget

Between 1941-1945, 1.2 million Black American men served in the U.S. military during World War II, yet faced systematic segregation both abroad and at home. The Selective Training and Service Act of September 1940 allowed Black men to register for the draft, but Secretary of War Henry Stimson ensured they remained segregated. Military records document separate blood banks, hospitals, barracks, and recreational facilities across all armed forces branches.

Despite overwhelming racial discrimination and exclusion from combat roles, Black soldiers were eventually deployed to critical positions—including the Red Ball Express (400-mile supply runs across France), the 761st Tank Battalion (183 days in combat, 30 liberated towns), and the legendary Tuskegee Airmen (1,600 missions, 237 aircraft destroyed, 100% bomber escort success rate).

The Double V Campaign, launched by the Pittsburgh Courier in February 1942 following James G. Thompson's January 31 letter asking "Should I Sacrifice to Live Half American?", mobilized 200,000 supporters and exposed the hypocrisy of fighting for democracy while denying it at home.

Upon returning home in September 1945, Black soldiers faced violent white mobs and were denied G.I. Bill benefits. President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981 in July 1948, officially desegregating the Armed Forces. This story reveals how Black service men's sacrifice and activism became foundational to the civil rights movement.

Check out the story in this short documentary.