5.2 The Double V campaign and civil rights activism

World War II sparked the Double V campaign, a rallying cry for African Americans seeking victory over fascism abroad and racism at home. This movement, initiated by Black newspapers, highlighted the hypocrisy of fighting for democracy overseas while denying civil rights domestically.

The campaign had a lasting impact on the civil rights movement, laying groundwork for post-war activism and contributing to military desegregation. Activists used various strategies, including protests, lobbying, and voter registration, to advance their cause and secure some concessions like the Fair Employment Practices Committee.

The Double V Campaign and World War II

Double V campaign significance

Top images from around the web for Double V campaign significance

• 

  1930-1965: The Great Depression and World War II - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Home Front · US History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  1929-1954: The Great Depression to the Double V Campaign - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  1930-1965: The Great Depression and World War II - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Home Front · US History View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Double V campaign significance

• 

  1930-1965: The Great Depression and World War II - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Home Front · US History View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  1929-1954: The Great Depression to the Double V Campaign - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  1930-1965: The Great Depression and World War II - Baltimore’s Civil Rights Heritage View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  The Home Front · US History View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Rallying cry and movement among African Americans during World War II called for victory over fascism abroad and victory over racism at home
• Emerged in 1942 after U.S. entry into the war, initiated by the Pittsburgh Courier, a prominent African American newspaper
• Highlighted hypocrisy of U.S. fighting for democracy overseas while denying civil rights to African Americans
• Demanded equal opportunities for African Americans in the military, workforce, and society
• Sought to leverage wartime rhetoric of freedom and democracy to advance civil rights cause

African American media's role

• African American newspapers instrumental in spreading the Double V message
  • Pittsburgh Courier coined the term and heavily promoted the campaign
  • Chicago Defender and Baltimore Afro-American also supported the cause
• Civil rights organizations embraced and amplified Double V campaign
  • NAACP incorporated Double V symbol into membership buttons
  • March on Washington Movement, led by A. Philip Randolph, advocated for desegregation in military and defense industries (factories, shipyards)

Impact and Strategies of the Double V Campaign

Impact on civil rights movement

• Double V campaign laid groundwork for post-war civil rights activism by raising awareness about need for racial equality and mobilizing African American communities
• Campaign's emphasis on equal opportunities in military contributed to desegregation of armed forces in 1948 (Executive Order 9981)
• Wartime experiences and Double V campaign empowered African American veterans to challenge racial discrimination upon returning home
• Campaign's success in securing some concessions, such as Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC), demonstrated potential of organized activism

Strategies of civil rights activists

• Activists employed various strategies to advance Double V campaign and civil rights:
  1. Lobbying and petitioning government officials and agencies
  2. Staging protests, rallies, and marches to draw attention to racial injustices (March on Washington Movement)
  3. Utilizing press to publicize campaign and expose discrimination
• March on Washington Movement threatened mass protest in nation's capital to pressure government to address racial discrimination in defense industries, leading to establishment of FEPC, which prohibited discrimination in defense-related employment
• Activists worked to register African American voters and challenge discriminatory voting laws (poll taxes, literacy tests) to increase political participation seen as key to securing civil rights reforms