Learning Objective for War Stories: African American Soldiers and the Long Civil Rights Movement

Using the varied primary sources presented in this unit, you will apply the historian’s skills in critical analysis and synthesis to craft a narrative about black soldiers as they resisted discrimination and became foot soldiers in the integration of America, a major consequence of the Long Civil Rights Movement. By analyzing the evidence of their active participation, students will be able to test the “resistance-watershed” thesis debated among historians who question whether World War II provided a spark for African Americans to push for equality. At the completion of this unit, you will understand how the desegregation of the military impacted the individual soldier and how government institutions provided the necessary leadership to undertake this sea change in the policies of the nation.