Source: The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow: “Terror and Triumph”
The Civil Rights Movement in America, 1945-1975
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Download and ShareIn 1947, as the Cold War with the Soviet Union intensified and the nation was becoming increasingly anti-Communist and intolerant, Harry Truman astonished everyone by suddenly supporting civil rights. Truman had been outraged at the murder and assaults on dozens of black veterans after World War II. Although he once held strong racial biases -- he had used the word "nigger" freely in his speech -- in 1947 he decided to make civil rights a national issue. He authorized a fifteen-man committee on Civil Rights to recommend new legislation to protect people from discrimination. Speaking from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Truman became the first president of the United States to address the NAACP. He promised African Americans that the federal government would act now to end discrimination, violence, and racial prejudice in American life. Shortly afterward, his panel issued its report confirming that segregation, lynching, and discrimination at the polls had to be ended.
In the election year of 1948, Truman continued to push for civil rights, partially because he felt that it was the right thing to do, and partially because he knew that he had to win the black vote in order to be elected.
Although most political analysts predicted a landslide, Truman believed that the election would depend on a handful of cities in the North where the balance of power would be held by black votes. Senator Hubert Humphrey, who was deeply committed to civil rights, had successfully maneuvered the Democratic Party to support a strong civil rights plank in its campaign platform -- much stronger than Truman wanted. One of Truman's strongest arguments in favor of civil rights was that America and Russia were now locked in a deadly "Cold War" and the Russians were using America's Jim Crow policies to win support from the rest of the world. Southerners replied that the civil-rights program was supported by Communists.
Strom Thurmond, Governor of South Carolina, and a group of Southern delegates walked out of the Democratic Convention when the civil-rights platform passed. The dissidents formed the States' Rights party, whose members came to be known as Dixiecrats. A reporter asked Thurmond why he had bolted from the Democratic party when President Truman had not done anything substantially different from his predecessor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Thurmond replied, "Yes -- but Truman really means it." After the convention, Truman ordered the army integrated -- a move brought about, in part, by the intense pressure of civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph. Truman's stance on civil rights won him the black vote in 1948 -- and with it, the presidential election.
--adapted from the website The Rise and Fall of Jim CrowNarrator: With his back to the Lincoln Memorial, Harry S. Truman, the 33rd President of the United States, becomes the first president ever to address the NAACP.
Voice of Harry S. Truman (NEWSREEL) The extension of civil rights today means not protection of the people against the government, but protection of the people by the government. (applause)
Narrator: At the Democratic Convention in 1948, Truman goes further. Pressured by Northern black voters and Civil Rights activists, he endorses a strong civil rights platform, placing his own candidacy at risk.
George Elsey: There was this strong sentiment, these are states' rights, these are local matters. So far as Truman was concerned, that wasn’t getting us anyplace. The federal government had to move.
Narrator: Thirty rebellious Southerners storm out in protest.
Ken Hechler: Strom Thurmond, who was the leader of the segregationists, was approached by a reporter after he had led these four state delegations out. And he was asked, “How come you did this when President Truman is doing precisely the same thing that Franklin Delano Roosevelt did in terms of support of civil rights?” And Thurmond turned to the reporter and immediately responded, “Yes, but there’s a difference. Truman really means it!”
Outraged by Truman’s action, Strom Thurmond, Governor of South Carolina, challenges him for the presidency under the banner of the newly formed States' Rights Party.
Voice of narrator (newsreel)
Narrator: The Southern revolt against President Truman reaches its climax at Birmingham under the States’ Rights banner. More than six thousand flock to the rump (sic) convention to join in the protest against the President's civil rights program. Thirteen southern states are represented in the uproarious session, which precedes the nomination of Governors Thurmond of South Carolina and Fielding Wright of Mississippi as party standard-bearers. Governor Thurmond attacks the civil rights plank.
Voice of Strom Thurmond (newsreel) It simply means that it’s another effort on the part of this president to dominate this country by force and to put into effect these uncalled-for and these damnable proposals he has recommended under the guise of so-called civil rights. And I tell you the American people from one side or the other had...had better wake up and oppose such a program. And if they don’t, the next thing will be a totalitarian state in these United States. [applause]
Narrator: The battle lines were drawn. Ten days later, after being pressured by black labor leader A. Philip Randolph, Truman signs Executive Order 9981 desegregating the armed forces. It was a dream fulfilled for Randolph, who had been fighting to integrate the army for over a decade. In 1941, Randolph had threatened to march on Washington if then-President Roosevelt did not desegregate the armed forces and change government hiring practices.
Pat Sullivan: A. Phillip Randolph, who was head of the Sleeping Car Porters' Union, members throughout the country, advised the President that if he didn't do it, he would bring over 10,000 of his members to Washington to march in protest.
Harvard Sitkoff: This scared Washington. You know, and Roosevelt realized he needed to do something to buy Randolph off. Roosevelt sent his wife, Eleanor, to meet with A. Philip Randolph to get the march called off.
Pat Sullivan: As we were gearing up to fight a war against fascism, this would not be a good thing for the President to have happen.
A. Philip Randolph: With all due respect, Mr. President, I thought I might say on the part of the Negro people, they feel they are not wanted in the armed forces. They are feeling that they are being shunted about.
Narrator: Under pressure to act, President Roosevelt makes a concession.
Pat Sullivan: At the eleventh hour, at the last minute, President Roosevelt issued an executive order, 8802, which established the Fair Employment Practices Committee, which basically said that there could not be any discrimination in hiring practices in the defense industry.
Narrator: Admitting his fear of Southern reprisal, Roosevelt stopped short of meeting all of Randolph’s demands. Truman did not succumb to that fear. In 1948, with a strong civil rights platform, Truman wins re-election. By electing Truman, voters seemed to affirm that supporting civil rights was no longer political suicide.
William Winters: Harry Truman was elected without the votes of four Southern states, and it became even more obvious at that point that the South was on the losing side in this battle to retain segregation.
AUDIO NEWSREEL
“Jackie Robinson opens the Dodgers’ second with a homerun into the left field seats…” Narrator: Even as the South resists, racial barriers fall throughout the nation. In 1947, Jackie Robinson breaks through the color line in baseball. Black actors break the stereotypical mold in which they have been traditionally cast and portray real human beings. And the United States Supreme Court declares segregation on interstate buses and trains unconstitutional.
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