LibGuides: Primary Sources: America in World War II: African Americans in World War II

African Americans in World War II

African Americans played a significant but often overlooked role during World War II, both on the homefront and in the military. Despite facing racial discrimination and segregation, African Americans mobilized to support the war effort, contributing to victory abroad and paving the way for the civil rights movement at home.

On the homefront, African American communities rallied behind the war effort, participating in war bond drives, victory garden initiatives, and scrap metal collections. Women took on roles in factories and industries left vacant by men serving in the military, becoming essential workers in producing war materials and supplies.

In the military, African Americans served with distinction, albeit in segregated units. The Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black squadron of fighter pilots, distinguished themselves in combat missions over Europe, earning a reputation for their skill and bravery. The 761st Tank Battalion, known as the "Black Panthers," played a crucial role in the liberation of Europe, earning numerous awards and commendations for their combat actions.

Despite their contributions, African American service members often faced discrimination and unequal treatment within the military. Segregation persisted in training, housing, and recreational facilities, reflecting the racial prejudices of the time.

However, the war also provided opportunities for African Americans to challenge segregation and inequality. The Double V Campaign, which advocated for victory against fascism abroad and victory against racism at home, gained momentum during the war years, laying the groundwork for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.

Overall, during World War II, African Americans demonstrated courage, patriotism, and resilience in the face of adversity. Their contributions to the war effort, both at home and abroad, were essential to securing victory against tyranny and advancing the cause of civil rights in America.

Online Sources: African Americans in World War II

African-American Soldiers (George C. Marshall Foundation) Find primary source documents about African Americans who served in the military during WWII.
The African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship (Library of Congress) The exhibition The African American Odyssey: A Quest for Full Citizenship, showcases the incomparable African American collections of the Library of Congress. Displaying more than 240 items, including books, government documents, manuscripts, maps, musical scores, plays, films, and recordings, this is the largest black history exhibit ever held at the Library, and the first exhibition of any kind to feature presentations in all three of the Library's buildings.
African Americans Fought for Freedom at Home and Abroad during World War II In the face of racism and segregation, Black men and women served in every branch of the armed services during World War II.
African Americans in World War II (The National WWII Museum) Explore profiles, oral histories, photographs, and artifacts honoring African American contributions to World War II from the Museum's collection.
African Americans in World War II - A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor (CSPAN) This Defense Department documentary uses archival film and interviews with veterans to pay what the film argues is an overdue tribute to the contributions of African Americans during World War II. The film documents the barriers faced by men and women who volunteered to serve, and culminates with the 1997 Medal of Honor award to seven African Americans.
African Americans World War II (Digital Public Library of America) 1,029 results for African Americans during World War II
African American Women in the Military and at War (Library of Congress) Primary sources are materials that contain firsthand accounts of events and were created at the time of the event or recalled later by an eyewitness. Materials may be in the form of newspapers and magazines, letters and diaries, photographs, video recordings, oral histories and transcripts, or government records. Some resources on the the early participation of African American women in the armed forces and various early war efforts can be found in digital repositories on the internet. Below are a select number of resources that are available as well as some databases, archives, or digital collections that can be used to find resources.
African American World War II Records - (National Archives) This page provides links and citations to finding aids published and/or compiled by NARA related to its extensive holdings on World War II.
Black Americans and World War II (Experiencing History) American citizens responded to the threats posed by the Third Reich in two main ways. First, they served as volunteers, workers, and members of the armed forces to support US participation in World War II. Second, both individuals and organizations attempted to rescue European Jews and other persecuted peoples. This collection of primary sources explores the ways in which Black Americans took part in these responses. Like most Americans, many Black Americans viewed the rise of fascism as a threat to democracy. But like other US citizens who faced racial inequality at home, Black Americans also understood international events through the lens of their own experiences with discrimination. In some cases, this meant a greater commitment to fighting racism and tyranny abroad. It also encouraged greater recognition of the inequality and discrimination they experienced in the US.
Buffalo Soldiers: The 92nd in Italy (Veterans History Project: Serving: Our Voices) During the Italian campaign of World War II, elements of the 92nd Division were among a handful of black units in that war to serve in combat. The road to Italy passed through various posts in the segregated South and Ft. Huachuca, an isolated Arizona outpost where the 92nd assembled for the final push. As featured in the novel and film Miracle at St. Anna, the 92nd distinguished themselves on the battlefield, disproving skeptics and earning an honored chapter in the history of World War II. Two years after the war ended, President Truman signed an order to desegregate the U.S. Armed Forces, closing the book on the buffalo soldiers.
Desegregation of the Armed Forces (Harry S. Truman Library) This collection focuses on President Truman's decision to desegregate the U.S. Armed Forces. The collection includes 247 documents totaling 1188 pages covering the years 1938 through 1953. Supporting materials include photographs, oral history transcripts, a subject guide to archival materials and a Truman Library finding aid which contains Freedom to Serve, the final report of the Fahy Committee.
Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experience in WW II (The National WW II Museum, New Orleans) In the years leading up to World War II, racial segregation and discrimination were part of daily life for many in the United States. For most African Americans, even the most basic rights and services were fragmented or denied altogether. To be black was to know the limits of freedom—excluded from the very opportunity, equality, and justice on which the country was founded. Yet, once World War II began, thousands of African Americans rushed to enlist, intent on serving the nation that treated them as second-class citizens. They were determined to fight to preserve the freedom that they themselves had been denied. This is their story.
Pictures of African Americans During World War II (National Archives) World War II began over 80 years ago and as we continue to honor those Americans who undoubtedly and courageously contributed to the defense of our nation, we often overlook in our remembrances the valiant efforts of African Americans. Throughout the war years they repeatedly had to battle adversaries on two fronts: the enemy overseas and racism at home. African-Americans recognized the paradox of fighting a world war for the "four freedoms'' while being subjected to prejudicial practices in the United States. Thus, as the war unfolded, they vehemently insisted on the privileges of full citizenship. African-Americans were ready to work and fight for their country, but at the same time they demanded an end to the discrimination against them.
Teaching Histories of Black Americans During World War II with The New York Public Library One essential resource for learning about Black people’s experiences during World War II can be found in NYPL’s database collections of historical Black newspapers. Wartime government materials like the newsreels, photo essays, posters, and comics produced by the Office of War Information to encourage support of the war deliberately avoided depicting Black service members in an effort not to alienate racist white southerners. These efforts, combined with the racism of the white press, meant that Black newspapers were the most important and often the only place to read about Black service members’ contributions to the war effort or about the experiences of Black civilians on the home front. Black Americans combatted violence and discrimination both in and out of the military and documented and sustained those struggles in the pages of the Black press.
Tuskegee Airmen (DocsTeach) Historical Era or Document Type
Tuskegee Airmen (Library of Congress) Find photographs of the Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Army Nurses The Tuskegee Airmen were not the only ones making history at Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF) in Tuskegee, Alabama, during the 1940s. The nurses who served on the base had to fight gender as well as racial discrimination. The Department of the Army was dragging its feet on allowing women of any race into the Army Nurse Corps (ANC)–that is until the United States entered World War II and there was a shortage of nurses. Approximately 29 black nurses served at TAAF. The segregated Army had limited black ANC nurses to around 500 more or less during World War II. That was out of a total 50,000 Army Nurse Corps nurses who served during this war. This site serves as an information platform to recognize the women who served in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II at Tuskegee Army Air Field.
World War II -- The African American Experience (Kansas University) World War II: The African American Experience begins to document the experiences of African American World War II veterans through audio recorded interviews. These oral histories are part of the collecting program established by the Kenneth Spencer Research Library’s Kansas Collection in 1986 to enhance the region’s permanent historical record of the African American experience. The collection includes donated materials that provide information about families, churches, organizations and businesses, especially during the 20th century. This World War II oral history project is sponsored in part by the Sandra Gautt KU Endowment Fund, which Professor Emerita Gautt established to honor her father, Sgt. Thaddeus A. Whayne, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen unit. It is part of the ongoing efforts of the African American Experience Collections to document life in the Kansas region.

Books Sources - African Americans in World War II

African Americans in the United States Army in World War II by Bryan D. Booker
Call Number: Boca Raton General Collection D810.N4 B66 2008
ISBN: 9780786431953
Publication Date: 2008-01-09
Black company : the story of Subchaser 1264 by Eric Purdon
Call Number: Boca Raton General Collection D810.N4 P87 2000
ISBN: 9781557506580
Publication Date: 2013-07-31
The Tuskegee airmen : the men who changed a nation by Charles E. Francis
Call Number: Jupiter General Collection D790 .F637 1988
ISBN: 9780828313865
Publication Date: 1993-01-01
Double V the civil rights struggle of the Tuskegee Airmen by Lawrence P. Scott; William M. Womack
Call Number: eBook - Read Online
ISBN: 0870135023
Publication Date: 1998-12-31
The 761st "Black Panther" Tank Division in World War II by Joe Wilson
Call Number: Jupiter General Collection D769.306 761st .W55 1999
ISBN: 0786406674
Publication Date: 1999-08-01
Blacks in the Army Air Forces During World War II by Alan M. Osur
Call Number: View Online - Gov Docs
ISBN: 9780912799230
Publication Date: 1986-04-01
Brothers in arms : the epic story of the 761st Tank Battalion, WWII's forgotten heroes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Anthony Walton
Call Number: Boca Raton General Collection D769.306 761st .A24 2004
ISBN: 0385503385
Publication Date: 2004-05-04
Patton's Panthers : the African-American 761st Tank Battalion in World War II by Charles W. Sasser
Call Number: Boca Raton General Collection D769.306 761st .S37 2005
ISBN: 0743485009
Publication Date: 2005-02-01
Employment of Negro Troops by Ulysses Lee; Center of Military History (U.S. Army) Staff (Produced by)
Call Number: View Online - Gov Docs & Government Documents D 114.17:N 31
ISBN: 9780160429514
Publication Date: 2008-04-07
Nothing but praise : a history of the 1321st Engineer General Service Regiment by Aldo H. Bagnulo; Michael J. Brodhead (Editor); Army Corps of Engineers (US) Staff (Compiled by)
Call Number: View Online - Gov Docs
ISBN: 9780160836725
Publication Date: 2010-01-11
Bitter fruit : African American women in World War II by Maureen Honey (Editor)
Call Number: View Online & Boca Raton General Collection D810.N4 B4 1999
ISBN: 0826212654
Publication Date: 1999-11-25
Fighting in the Jim Crow Army : black men and women remember World War II by Maggi M. Morehouse
Call Number: Boca Raton General Collection D810.N4 M67 2000
ISBN: 0847691934
Publication Date: 2000-12-06
The African American Experience During World War II by Neil Wynn
Call Number: View Online & Boca Raton General Collection D810.N4 W89 2010
ISBN: 1442210311

Videos on African Americans in World War II

African Americans In World War II (Playlist of 13 videos) African Americans In World War Ii: A Legacy Of Patriotism And Valor Produced By The Department Of Defense 50th Anniversary World War Ii Commemorative Pin 504607 1997Committee, This Video Tells The Story Of African Americans During The Period 1940 Through 1946. Covering All Phases And Theaters Of World War Ii, It Focuses On The Contributions Of These Brave Men And Women On The Home And War Fronts To The Eventual Allied Victory.

The links below are videos taken from the database listed below, they will require you to be affiliated with Florida Atlantic University with an active Username / Password to login to view them.

American History in Video This link opens in a new window
American History in Video provides the largest and richest collection of video available online for the study of American history. The collection allows students and researchers to analyze historical events, and the presentation of historical events over time, through commercial and governmental newsreels, archival footage, public affairs footage, and important documentaries.

From the Library of Black History, America's Black Eagles - Academic Video Online Streaming Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron. Also discusses the social climate of prejudice facing the airmen at home and abroad and their success in their struggles against this intolerance.
Nightfighters - Academic Video Online Database The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots who saw combat during the Second World War. The 332nd Fighter Group has a history which sets it apart from that of any other air force fighter groups in the Second World War: all personnel, from pilots to ground crew to surgeons, were black. They confounded a whole series of expectations and prejudices that existed in America in the thirties and forties about the abilities of black Americans. They excelled as pilots and became a crack unit, showing great courage and skill and achieving where other fighter groups had failed. Yet, despite this, they were segregated on the ground and in the air from the white flyers whose lives they protected.
America's Black Eagles. Part 1, clipped wings - Academic Video Online Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron. Also discusses the social climate of prejudice facing the airmen at home and abroad and their success in their struggles against this intolerance.
America’s Black Eagles: The Enemy Within, Part 2 - Academic Video Online Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron. Also discusses the social climate of prejudice facing the airmen at home and abroad and their success in their struggles against this intolerance.
The Black Eagles, Part 3 - Academic Video Online Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron. Also discusses the social climate of prejudice facing the airmen at home and abroad and their success in their struggles against this intolerance.
The Black Eagles, Part 4: Red Tails and Black Aces - Academic Video Online Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen of the 99th Fighter Squadron. Also discusses the social climate of prejudice facing the airmen at home and abroad and their success in their struggles against this intolerance.
Highlights of America's Black Eagles: The Story of America's All-Black Air Force - Academic Video Online Database Discusses the Black experience in the military, focuses on the training and participation of Black airmen in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.
Tuskegee Airmen: Still Flying High- Academic Video Online Database Still flying high after 60 years, the Tuskegee Airmen and their story stand as one of the most illustrious chapters in American military history. As a testament to this courageous group of patriots, the U. S. Senate recently passed a bill to honor the Tuskegee Airmen with a Congressional Gold Medal.
Black soldier blues - Academic Video Online Streaming Database When America established its Pacific supply base in Australia during World War II, Australia's Prime Minister warmly welcomed the estimated one million American servicemen and women stationed and passing through. The exception: black GIs. Because of the racist White Australia Policy the black troops were initially forbidden to be stationed on Australian shores. Between 1942 and 1945, Australia reluctantly agreed to let African American personnel enter, as long as they were separated from the rest of the population. The US high command embraced the policy and African Americans were stationed in strictly segregated zones where they were subjected to atrocious conditions, harsh treatment, racial hatred and even murder. The 96th Battalion rioted out of sheer desperation. In contrast to this official resistance, white Australians welcomed the black American soldiers who found they were often treated better by Australians than by their own countrymen. This acceptance infuriated some of the white soldiers and riots broke out in the streets of Brisbane between white and black American soldiers. The film is told by the American and Australian veterans who were there, now speaking sixty years after the war. The black Americans discuss growing up in a segregated society, joining a segregated army, and fighting for a freedom that they themselves did not yet possess. Study guide available.