Welcome i am in the Archives Department of labor. We are so pleased to host such a Wonderful Group and one of her favorite events. And you can do that online anytime or in the hallway today. So let me remind you of how the festival works, we will have an author speak no for 30 minutes followed by a ten minute question and answer. And then i will walk the author to sign books and you can purchase the book and meet the author and discuss the book even more. Sorry first author is sandra, she is a veteran teacher industry and, for two decades she lived abroad in the United States army germany, and a leader as International School of europe, africa and asia. She and her doctorate in history, ohio state university. Her focus on gender, African American history, and the publication of her book, glory in the spirit, how for black women took on the army in world war ii. She is active in the National Movement in the bill of rights effort to protect ohios natural resources. Her occupation, travel and studies reflect her interest in the dynamics of gender class and public policy. Lets welcome our author. [applause] good morning. Are you ready for story . I would first like to thank the Roosevelt Library in the archives for this opportunity to share the experiences of the black pioneers of the womens army corps. Im especially pleased to be able to acknowledge at high park, another of Eleanor Roosevelt achievements and contributions to this nation. This is particularly well known. The first lady was the champion of the woman army corps, where they are using the acronym in the afternoon. Even less known was her interest in the success of African American. Her husband contributions, to this end were less directed to these women yet immensely important, in 1940 president Franklin Delano roosevelt signed off on a memorandum detailing the Department Policy of equal treatment of military personnel. Regardless of race. Upon the establishment, tears later this policy carried over to the new female personnel. Thereby providing a platform for black west who were serving in a segregated military after all to assert their rights for equal treatment. Frankly, youre no idea what you started. And eleanor, i think you did. Can you hear me . So gloria and the spirit helped lock women take on the army during world war ii tells a story of one of the most wellpublicized Court Marshals of the war. In 194547 in massachusetts, for years when i mentioned this project the most common response i got that i did not even know black women were in the military during world war ii. Frankly im not sure i did either. At least not while embarking on this project. The fascination of americans including this one with a groundbreaking achievements as are commenced the women often translate to white women. This was certainly how americans interpreted the term in 1940s when the nations military services plunged into global war and women to help alleviate the severe personnel shortages. Following the lead, the navy, marine coast guard and army created their own womens forces, so none of these initially accepted black recruits. A compromise i argue that the War Department offered civil rights leaders whose demand for integration of the armed forces firmly rejected. This afternoon i will introduce an unfolding as they do in the book. The characters and plot provide the context to explore Army Personnel policies and how they lead to the stripe, courtmartial and Public Interest in the case. At the time, it was a sensational problem. I will conclude with a brief thought on why it is so little known today. I promise you a story, which began in 1944 when the four women at the center and listed. Alice young was a middleclass washington, d. C. Resident with a wellpaid government job. She also had some training as a nurse, recruiters assured her that the army did her as a medical technician. Donnie murphy and northerner had skills, no job and like soldiers immemorial, and appetite for adventure. Soviet armies offer a training as an escape from domestic service. All four of these women wouldve been familiar with the wax recruiting campaign. They were intensive and prolific and they were pleading with women to do your part, join now. Theres an urgency to this. They also wouldve noticed that the call to duty featured white women exclusively. Nevertheless they sell it as an extranet opportunity, young, coarse and green were among the 6500 black women of a total of 140,000 who enlisted to help the war effort during the war. They wanted to help the war effort, and the skills learned in the army advance the postwar employment prospects. Until then did these four women eager to do their part land in the dock as defendants in a courtmartial. The subtitle offers a concise response. Young, angering challenge army, we will go into more detail. [inaudible] so these women had enlisted to fill specialized jobs such as medical technicians, drivers or any of the hundreds of other army chain skills the west advertise. Instead at one of the post hospital, it was seen as another. The relegation of a ladder to labor was common across the country. Consequently so is resistant of these women to discriminatory treatment. The strike was the most publicized protest but by no means the only one. Conflicts were inevitable, africanamerican women view their inclusion in the military and the armys new policy of equal treatment of black personnel signs of a gender initial project in the country. In contrast the War Department consider this temporary emergency measures. In recruiting black men with larger numbers as it always did in a crisis. And for the first time in its history and listed women. Because it felt had no other choice, not advance the status of subordinate citizens. But the results, or Department Policy or personal thought to maintain the status quo even if it heavily relied on the subordinate citizens. That promised africanamerican soldiers, equal treatment and continued to racially segregate them, prohibit them from positions over white troops and relegate the majority to manual labor. Similarly, if funneled them into a separate and temporary core. It is supposed to dissolve after the war. It also limited its members to consignments of properly vitamin. Furthermore, when the War Department directives for africanamericans, it did so with black man in mind. Likewise, when directing those for wax it did so with white women in mind. Apparently, the War Department leadership assumed that the sum of its policies would overlap to covecover box. For example, the motor pool at fort evans up Training Programs for black soldiers, male soldiers and other four. But as alice discovered when she requested a transfer there were none for black. As a result the commander denied her request for transfer. He also rejected any notion that discrimination was a factor. After all the motor pool offer training to africanamericans and offer training to women. Where is the discrimination. While the army prided itself on its uniform treatment of its increasingly diverse personal they readily slip to the crooks of its policies. In this manner military policies weird civilian laws which likewise overlooked black women. This case worked for example, roosevelt knew deal legislation during the Great Depression did not mention race. Yet the Labor Protections primarily benefited the white man the white managers, overwhelmingly higher. In 1941, civil rights leaders use their working cloud to roosevelt to crate the fair Employment Practices committee. The vtc for defense contractors from discriminating against black workers. But it was silent on gender discrimination. To comply, therefore they mainly hired black man. Civilian shortages brought white women back. They also apply for these jobs but were not taken on. Mary really i should say in fact 9042 in detroit industrial factories there were 100 and the black women. Despite the invisibility of black women and safe policies in the historically appalling treatment of black man in the military, africanamerican women had reasons to expect better opportunities and greater respect from wac as they had civilians. I will mention three, first as previously noted the War Department had agreed to a policy of equal treatment regardless of race. Second, the shortage of wac essential noncombat military occupation was so heavily publicized that the women knew that their service was greatly needed and in fact they were greatly needed. Military did not take advantage but they were greatly needed. Third the army claims to be fighting against and an inspired emoticon of hope that it would not tolerate tierney in its forces. These factors and bolded thousands of black women to enlist. Rhetoric did not always match reality. Certainly circumstances differ around the country. Yet most black wac during the time in the service experienced the same types of determination that young, murphy, morrison and green encounter. These women arrived in fort des moines, iowa, the wac was under pressure to meet personal request from commanders. To expedite the process, it quickly trained in transferring them to assignments. At least this is the case for white wac, few commanders requested black recruits, most of them languished for months in fort des moines. Young, murphy, morrison and green we drive arrived at different times in spring in 1944 not received transfer orders until late october. Once later. As part of 100 person attachment, the army sent them to work under the command of colonel walter crandall. Let me know so them, they fought this transfer to thin you. First he said they did not need them, later they warned superiors that the black man outpost in the presence of black women would truly be social problems. With 14point overflowing with unassigned lack wac, were talking a thousand black wac overtime. The War Department was not having any of this. It ordered him to put in the requisition. How he appoint the women was less to him. Clearly intended to marginalize these troops that he did not want, he requested wac without military skills so he can place all of those needed as orderly in the hospital. Members of the detachment arrived excited to it last week in the trading. Imagine their surprise when ushered into jobs consisted of cleaning ward and waiting on staff and patients. Assuming that this was temporary after all, they enlisted based on certain agreements, while carrying out the current task. They really cleaned up the place recall their supervisor sgt harold wicks, the commitment was contemporary as it may seem. In 194070 of black women were in service jobs. Roughly the same proportion of black wac to cleaning duties and incidentally this is the case throughout all wac about 70 of them worked at some point during the service. So yes these women did an excellent job scrubbing boards which is the women increasingly suspected, they were best suited to do. The womens hopes of other opportunity were dashed to month after their arrival, crandall noticed alice young taking a patients temperature, according to witnesses he bellowed that black wac were not here for that purpose, they were here to do the dirty work quote unquote. Crandall later contested the phrase but not the meaning. They were already flogging morale plummeted. Several other incidents over the next two months further demoralized the women this included the demotion of three new arrivals, all army trained surgical technicians to orderly duties. Tragically another was the attempted suicide of a member of their detachment. A month later three others attempted the same. But there is no problem with the detachment. The situation came to head on march 9, 1945 after yet another incident had at last convince women that nothing would change unless they took a collective stance. That morning they launched a strike to protest treatment that was incongruent to the military policies that had incurred their enlistments. I will mention here, this was not planned in advance, and incubated overnight and thatll happen in the morning. The soldiers no strike or mutiny, and military terms involved great risk. The black press regular reported similar actions by black men in uniforms in the years of prison sentences incurred for resisting Racial Discrimination. After five months of manual labor, it was hard of morse and submit a mission that women were working like dogs and it was time to take decisive action. Not all were ready for this, according to private lorraine overton, upon waking up that morning all the commotion, you all strike while i sleep. Most of the others, not initially sure what to do chose to join the strike. As a spring, it was a matter of cooperation that of all the girls refused to go to work good with that for me too stay with. Nearly all on duty at the hospital refused to return to the orderly job under the same conditions. That is until the general of the command of the First Service command, they finally got their officers attention resented them with the choice, report to work or face the courtmartial. Murphy declared to take death before should go back to work. Arrested and housed, the four had no way of knowing that their actions had sparked a national firestorm. Outside their confinement area, news of the strike and courtmartial spread rapidly in both the black and mainstream presses, unusual for the time. A member of the president bought covenant, and founder of the association of colored women disbanded an investigation as did several members of congress. Other civil rights organizations especially acp contacted highlevel officials about the case and worked with local members who rallied behind the defendants. Scores of ordinary citizens, male and pima, black and white, many brazing secretary war with inquiries about how the army treatment of the women could volunteer to serve when the country was in such great need. Others were furious with the dirty work while others reminded their leaders that the nation was waging war to suppress tierney, are we going to be as cold and human in as hitler. The president called him to the white house to discuss the matter. Elinor roosevelt also saw an appointment them only to referred to her assistant. With the vast majority of civilians who are following the case supporting the women then w acp chief attorney considered as potential in taking on segregation in the military. The fort devens case hit a nerve. Added timely courtsmartial, a black person claiming Racial Discrimination as routine as they were ignored outside of the africanamerican communities, this one stood out. The defendants were both black and pima, the case laid open fresh and thorny to context to the step three of the most contentious issues of the war. Women in the military, racial segregation in the war for democracy. In the extensive War Department, investigation of the strike, the army denied discrimination at fort evans. It just did not happen. The fact that 75 of black wac worked as orderlies compared to 12 of white wac would suggest otherwise. But not too many white personnel in 1940s. Instead they pointed to the poor army test scores as confirmation that black wac did not qualify for skilled assignments. They also described women as lazy, often late and usually complaining. Hardly the character of a model wac. A number of them spoke of the women having a tendency to place a race card play the race card when they do not get their way. These were the usual complaints leveled against black wac across United States. So lets see how they stocked up at fort evans. First the army classification test score, as the funding of black schools in the south were more than 70 of africanamericans. As an aside, black soldiers were better funded schools of the north outperformed southern white recruits. In any case, they had passed. They request a personnel when no training so he could isolate them in manual jobs. His reassignment of the three surgical technicians to orderly duty to stay in shape this intention. Despite character, yes black wac complained about the jobs of fort devens and they were increasingly tardy for work. But not at first, when they first arrived they worked very hard at the job but after the officers ignored the request for more and they realized this was a job they were going to have the morality. Theyd claimed discrimination but not as a part of convenience, it was a reality. Not at the hospital where they worked, black but not white wac, nobody in the military ever like to perform kitchen police. The only white wac did not have to, black wac did. Many also reported in the px which is waiting on white customers before then. Reports of these complaints emerged later but during the trial the prosecutor focused on black wac assignment more accurately the refusal to do them. All four expressed a desire to work, they really wanted to but military positions they advertised urgently needed not as made, mccarthy shot back for disobeying military orders. At one point he interjected, there are things i have to do that i dont like to do, theres things that you have to do that you like to do but we do them the best we can and we take the chance of getting something else. As white male and officer, he did not understand, i dont think you can comprehend the opportunities available to him were really as accessible to africanamericans or two women and certainly not to women of color. The dual identities put africanamerican women in a category of their own and therefore largely on their own. As a defense, strategy that the nw acp adopted in the trial. A lawyer in nw acp member was a black veteran and personally familiar with racism in the army. Racism however, was not a valuable defense during world war ii, the government and army assisting the segregation did not constitute segregation. Therefore, cautiously roast another strategy. Perception of racism. Not that it was true, he said, but his plane proceed it was. Got the trail he attempted to win the defendants relief by describing them as confused and hysterical woman who did not know that they would be doing. Young murphy horse angry, also sexism, black men who seamlessly folded the black women and also rick and i saw these experiences differ. Other black women, the defendants most vigorous reporters were only too well aware of the compounded subordination that they experience. Polly murray, a young scholar struggling at the time as a lone female law student at Howard University expressed the dilemma. A minority within minority. The courtmartial, open to the public lasted two days. With reporters crowded in the courtroom, the army delivered its verdict, guilty. With that the army wiped his hands of it. Much to the War Department in basement, the first only intensified the debate in the case. Many americans agree with the verdict but many more were outraged. Ordinary citizens call for justice for the women, some sought dismissal, civil rights leader stepped up demands for the army to look into the cost of the strike. Marshall agreed to the appeal. In the War Department was also busy they had to consider its options. The civilian reaction compelled the army to do really and racial distribution. It dismissed the verdict and restore the Service Personnel to duty. For two weeks the press manipulated of the fort devens case with the easy way out. Then within a month the case disappeared from the press and accordingly from popular counts of the work. Today americans no black who serve in the war slowly and of white wax with Iconic Images and recruiting campaign but not a black box, once again that were overlooked and undervalued. They understand that they did not fit neatly into military laws and civilian loss for that matter either, but not why, having enlisted to help the war effort they expected the army to deliver the drop they promised and respect the hud prompted their enlistments when ordinary soldiers like young, morrison, murphy and green and other wac across the nation had the right of complaint officers to respond and acknowledge the resistance as military personnel. Black women were in the military during world war ii even though we dont hear about them that much. They were there for the visibility of people across the nation. Thank you. [applause] im thinking about the test that these black wac took that showed they had no latitude for any jobs other than cleaning. A generation after they took the test, me and many other people were taking the sats which at that time were called the scholastic admission test. I remember taking the test but did not remember the particulars until he saw, until ralph nader came for college and give this talk, among the things of class of the scholastic admission test. The first assault on the sat and the Educational Testing Service came from him. In the young man at princeton, and then i remembered questions on the test that were using selling terms, questions asked me about starboard versus i dont know, i was with a workingclass family i knew nothing about that. First get to go to college in the family i was so busy with high school i did not have time. The point is, and 68, 79 and interventio69 and 70were puttind by the sat, i can imagine how deeply biased the test that the military what is ministering to recruits. Im just wondering if you can, on that. Briefly, the test were very biased, i have this in the topic and i think the audience will know that. The test were very vice, one of the blacks who joined, said she blew through the test group in connecticut, she went to schools that were wellfunded and she said basically the test you are reading, how to read. But i appreciate your, very interesting. The duties ever improve . Did they get better jobs . I was hoping someone would ask you that. Also be the pin after words. Yes, and no. If you turn back to orderly duties, because during the investigation there was a monthlong investigation, by the way. The investigation is the stick. I kid you not. In the interviewed hundreds and hundreds of people including many of the black wac. And they came to the conclusion that there was no discrimination, Racial Discrimination, sex was not talked about. So these women did return back to the jobs but they also realized that the unit, the captain was not working well, white wac was working well but the buck was not so they made a bunch of changes including a Training Program for black wac, it was for civilian orderlies, all orderlies civilian but they finally instituted the training practices which were not there before. And few other things change, mainly trying to make sure things written down so people knew what their duties were. Restoring them back to their service duties, were there any bills passed or rights for women in the military that changed after this incident . Good . The women there what i explained, extended to about what its going to you. But, at the time the army was working on a transfer to send black wac to gardner hospital in chicago. Just outside of high park. And many civilians did not want that to happen pray but others said we are okay with that. We welcome them. What happened, the military after seeing how disastrous this worked out, by swapping detachment into the criminal lap they did not want them. That the same thing could happen again. There are many memorandums going back and forth, discussing in detail, that the next attachment that was going to gardner hospital would have a number of different skill levels, many different ranks, that their commander would be well aware and know what is going on and after words there were highlevel visits to gardner hospital and the women who served in that unit after words said they felt the important and they helped the military. It was very good for morale. If you fastforward to today, i keep hearing the conditions to women dont sound all that much better, of course are isolated cases of people getting promoted and getting through the grass under glass ceiling. But just curious if you have any research or comments. Owed will have comments,. [laughter] the reason i wrote this book in a pursued making sure it was published is because of that very reason. I was in the military myself in the 1970s. And i did not see much difference between the way that women were treated, for six month i was a wac, even though at the time i did not know i was a wac. I learned that in my research. But i thought everythings a same, so great, i wasnt so happy how women were treated, i saw that part but i did not see the race component. Its only when i was working on the research and continuing looking at white personnel during world war ii who did not recognize racism right in the face, how could they not see it. But after a while, i started recognizing some of myself and them. And so today i think many of us are aware that there are problems that black women are still falling through the crooks. And overjoyed to see that not all of them are staying in the crooks. They never have, the policies that were constructed had that in mind, but the women did not. They always rejected it. But the story was not always told. So the way to find the stories is to really look at the black women experience, not the people at the top that look at their stories, and they engine they are there. And more times you find him in the courtmartial cases than in the advertisements. Because i was actually a tribute to them because they took the chance of getting in trouble and being disciplined and having a courtmartial to state their point that yes were here, visible and want to help in the military to deal with it. [applause] great question. [inaudible question] this weekend on book tv, saturday at 555 eastern, worn pharaoh discusses his book the boy crisis. White boys are struggling and what we can do about it. Success is what makes boys and girls feel that there liked their friend, thats what prevents them from going into depression and when boys do not have the success they tend to go down a slippery slope that can in the worst case narrow move to depression, anger, withdrawal, and alienation and mass shooting. At eight eastern in her book, such a pretty girl, disability rights activists who contracted polio as a baby talks about growing up with a disability. My mother told the women already talking at 16 months and walking on my own and never had a fever until that fateful nig night. Polio invaded their happy home and stole me from my family. As sunday at 9 00 p. M. Eastern on after words, former virginia democratic governor talks about his book beyond charlottesville, taking a stand against white nationalism. Its a value to people that the president came out and say this i can to break that is bold, thats why they felt comfortable coming to charlottesville. If he can say publicly so can i. People used to wear hooves. And they used to do this at night. They dont think they have to wear hoods anymore and charlottesville they came out this is a big comingout party, they got hurt badly enter little. Watch book tv every weekend on cspan2. In 1979 Small Network was an unusual name. Lets viewers make up their own right. Cspan open the doors to washington policy hoping for all to see bringing you unfiltered combat of congress and beyond. A lot has changed in 40 years since the big idea is more relevant than ever. On television and online, cspan is your unfiltered view of government so you can make up your own mind. Brought to you or your cable or satellite provider. Tonight we present Nigel Hamilton reading from the final volume on fdr, or in peace. Fdrs final odyssey, dday. Using unpublished documents, he writes the famous account of world war ii strategy given by Winston Churchill in his memoirs. 75 years after detailing the we finally get to see closeup in dramatic detail who was responsible for rescuing and insisting upon the Great American invasion in france in june