Double Victory by Cheryl Mullenbach Read Free Book Online Page A

Philip Randolph announced plans for a massive march on Washington, DC, in January 1941, black and white people paid attention. They knew he could make it happen. He wanted the president of the United States to do something to help black citizens. And he intended to make it happen—not in a dangerous way—but in a way that would get everyone’s attention.
    â€œI suggest that 10,000 Negroes march on Washington, D.C., the capital of the nation with the slogan: ‘We loyal Negro American citizens demand the right to work and fight for our country.’ Our demand would be simple … jobs in national defense and placement as soldiers and officers of all ranks we are qualified for in the armed forces. What an impressive sight 10,000 Negroes would make marching down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., with banners preaching their cause for justice, freedom, and equality,” Philip said. The event would be called the March on Washington.
    The very same month that Philip called for the March on Washington, President Franklin Roosevelt gave the annualState of the Union address to the nation. In his speech he outlined “four freedoms” that he said “all Americans” enjoyed.
    â€œWe look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression…. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way…. The third is freedom from want…. The fourth is freedom from fear.”
    Many black Americans thought the president’s words were meant for them. This president seemed to believe in a world free of discrimination. But it didn’t take long for them to realize that things were not going to change.
    In March 1941 the US Congress passed a law called the Lend-Lease Act. It allowed the United States to provide billions of dollars of war materials to countries “vital to the defense of the United States.” President Roosevelt had asked Congress to pass the Lend-Lease Act after British prime minister Winston Churchill asked for help.
    Not everyone was happy about the passage of the act because it appeared that the United States was getting involved in the war that was being fought, not on its own soil, but in Europe. A group of about 500 protested the signing of the Lend-Lease Act in a demonstration in front of the White House in April 1941. They carried signs: GET OUT AND STAY OUT OF WORLD WAR NO. 2, FIGHT EVERY STEP TO WAR , and ALL OUT AID FOR BRITAIN MEANS TOTAL WAR FOR AMERICA . In his campaign for the presidency in 1940, Franklin Roosevelt had promised that the United States would
not
get involved in the war. “I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again and again; your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars.”
    The Lend-Lease Act was good news for owners of companies that manufactured products needed by the warring countries. It meant the US government was issuing billions of dollars incontracts with these companies to produce materials to ship to the countries that were “vital to the defense of the United States.” That meant the companies with the government contracts needed more workers. These companies were willing to pay workers well for their work. And the government was willing to train workers to learn skills needed to work at the jobs.
    All of this was good news to black people who were eager to improve their job opportunities and to learn new skills. Companies that had never considered hiring black people were beginning to hire black men and women because they needed all the workers they could get. But reports of discrimination in the defense industries, the military, and in everyday life made people realize that things were not different. It was difficult to sustain hope when discrimination persisted. Many black Americans did not believe others in their country felt the four freedoms were meant for black people too.
    Although the United States