New Deal and World War II (1933-1945) - Primary Sources

During the Great Depression, African Americans were disproportionately affected by unemployment and while President Franklin Roosevelt’s relief programs made him popular in many Black communities, he avoided the call from activists for civil rights or an anti-lynching law. The mobilization of the United States for World War II provided employment opportunities in defense industries for African Americans and more than a million African American men fought in World War II. While segregation and discrimination persisted during World War II, the Pittsburgh Courier newspaper launched the Double V campaign for victory against fascism abroad and against racism at home.