African Americans in the Armed Forces

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the challenges that historically faced African- American troops in the American armed forces. It looks at the reasons why African Americans joined the army and the hurdles they faced before they could enlist. It then discusses the problems they encountered as Black soldiers and lastly analyzes the outcome of their fighting for the U.S. armed forces.

From the Paper:

"The answer to this question is of course not uniform from soldier to soldier, any more than it would be for any other subset of soldiers defined by race. Some blacks have gone to war to escape poverty at home, some to leave families they no longer loved, some to prove themselves as full Americans, some because they believed fervently in the Constitution and felt that it was a piece of paper worth dying for. Some because they wanted to be heroes, some because they were foolish, some because they were brave, some because they wanted to live up to the dreams of their parents, some because they had something to prove to themselves. The decision to go to war is a complex one for any thoughtful person, and the nature of race relations in the United States has always made that decision even more complex for blacks than for whites."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "Announce Roster of Women In Army Auxiliary Corps." Chicago Defender. August 1, 1942, p. 6.
• "Army Bias To Apply To Wac's P. S. - Pen Percent." Cleveland Call and Post. August 3, 1946.
• "Army Calls For 2000 Wacs For Overseas Duty." Chicago Defender. July 21, 1946.
• "Army Injects Discrimination Into WAAC Ranks In Southern Style." Chicago Defender. September 5, 1942, p. 7.
• ""Army Rebuffs Tories On Negro Wacs In Hospital." Daily Worker. July 3, 1945.

More papers on African Americans in the Armed Forces:

• Essay # 25902 : "African-Americans in the Military"
• Essay # 27099 : "Black Soldiers During WWII"
• Essay # 26417 : "Resistance to Early British Rule"

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