Our Fight for the 2nd "V"
Remembering The Double V Campaign
The Double V Campaign was a crucial initiative in launching the broader struggle for civil rights, linking the fight against foreign tyranny to the ongoing battle for equality and justice within the United States.
When WWII began in 1939, Americans of all races looked at Hitler’s actions in Europe with a mix of anger and sadness. African Americans knew that Hitler’s words seemed too familiar. Hitler took notes from the U.S. for its model on segregation, subjugation, and terrorism against the Jews living there.
African Americans were loyal patriots, willing to fight and die for their country’s freedom, they were willing to fight and die for their own liberty back home, as well. The Double V Campaign was launched by the Pittsburgh Courier, a leading newspaper of the era and unapologetic megaphone for black voices.
The campaign's name came from James G. Thompson’s letter to the editor “Should I Sacrifice to Live ‘Half American’?” Thompson was a defense worker and reader of the Pittsburgh Courier, disturbed by the paradox of fighting for democracy abroad while being denied basic rights at home. Thompson argued that while African Americans were being asked to fight for democracy overseas, they remained second-class citizens in the United States, facing discrimination and segregation. He called for two victories: one against the Axis powers ("enemies from without") and one against racial injustice in America ("enemies from within"). It was published by the Pittsburgh Courier on January 31, 1942, with a few key objectives:
· Equality in the Armed Forces: Advocate for the integration of the military and equal treatment of Black soldiers.
· Fair Employment: Fight for equal job opportunities and fair employment practices in defense industries.
· Civil Rights: Raise awareness of racial injustices and push for legislative changes to end segregation and discrimination.
The Double V Campaign’s goals were simple, illustrated by their Double V logo. The two-front war’s aims were to end racism at home and to defeat the Axis Powers. A. Phillip Randolph and the NAACP demanded that President Roosevelt desegregate the government industries in which so many African Americans worked.
In 1941, Randolph informed President Roosevelt that if war industries were not desegregated, thousands of African Americans would lead a protest march on D.C. Roosevelt was afraid that the still-segregated D.C. would fall prey to race riots during the march.
The campaign also fostered unity and pride among Black troops. It encouraged them to serve with distinction, believing that their sacrifices would help advance the cause of civil rights and equality back home.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military pilots and support personnel in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, forming a pioneering and highly decorated group that broke significant racial barriers in the military.
The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion-nicknamed the "Six Triple Eight"-was a groundbreaking, predominantly African American unit of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during World War II. It was the only all-Black, all-female battalion deployed overseas during the war, consisting of 855 women led by Major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Charity Adams.
The 92nd Infantry Division known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were the first African American Soldiers sent into combat in 1944. The division landed in Italy. The 761st Tank Battalion, became the first Black unit to see ground combat in Europe, joining Patton’s Third Army in France in November 1944. The men helped liberate 30 towns under Nazi control and spent 183 days in combat. The most famous member of the 761st was First Lieutenant Jackie Robinson.
The Double V Campaign galvanized Black Americans and liberal allies, highlighting the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom abroad while denying it to citizens at home. It helped lay the groundwork for later civil rights advances, including:
1. Fairer Employment Practices: President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 in 1941, which prohibited racial discrimination in the defense industry.
2. Desegregation of the Military: President Truman's Executive Order 9981 in 1948,
3. Increased Awareness: Highlighted the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom abroad while denying it to African Americans at home, the Double V Campaign brought national attention to the civil rights struggle, galvanizing support for future actions.
It is a struggle that continues today in 2025. This time fascism is on our shore come from the Administration so there will be no calls to the President; however, we are called to act. The rights gained from those efforts are once again at risk of being lost –The Struggle of a Lifetime. Let the persistent bravery and determination of our ancestors be a guide.
SOURCES:
https://www.nps.gov/poch/learn/historyculture/the-double-v-campaign.htm
Very interesting. I had no idea. So much buried history.