Final answer:
The "Double V" campaign was a World War II-era initiative by African Americans for two victories: against fascism abroad and against racial inequality at home. It greatly influenced President Roosevelt to prohibit racial discrimination in federal agencies and wartime industries, and led to the desegregation of the armed forces under President Truman.
Step-by-step explanation:
What was the "Double V" Campaign?
The "Double V" campaign was an initiative started by African American leaders during World War II, notably endorsed and spread by the Pittsburgh Courier, a prominent African American newspaper. The campaign called for two victories: one against the enemies abroad, specifically the fascism of the Axis powers, and another against racism at home in the United States. It emphasized the irony and hypocrisy of fighting for freedom and democracy overseas while African Americans faced segregation and discrimination in their own country. This was a defiant rejection of racism and a push for desegregation that laid the groundwork for the later Civil Rights Movement.
Impact of the Double V Campaign on World War II
Many African Americans enlisted in the war not only to combat oppression abroad but also to challenge racial injustice at home. Following various protests during the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued directives that banned discriminating practices in federal agencies and companies engaged in war work. This period also saw Executive Order 9981 by President Harry S. Truman in 1948, which desegregated the armed forces. The valor and service of African American soldiers during the war, coupled with the civil rights activism back home, solidified the Double V campaign's objective of freedom abroad and freedom at home.