June 25, 1941: FDR Desegregates the Defense Industry

June 25, 1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 8802, to prohibit ethnic or racial discrimination in the nation's defense industry, including in companies, unions, and federal agencies. It also set up the Fair Employment Practice Committee.

FDR had set his New Deal up as, essentially, an update of the New Freedom program of his political idol, Woodrow Wilson, whom he had served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy from 1913 to 1920. Upon taking office in 1913, Wilson had greatly liberalized the federal government. However, as a Southerner (who had nonetheless achieved public office in the Northern State of New Jersey), Wilson had also re-segregated the federal government, making official what had more or less been allowed to happen between the Administration of Ulysses S. Grant in the 1870s and his own.

FDR's EO 8802 flew in the face of this, becoming the first federal action, though not a law, to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination in the United States. It represented the first executive civil rights directive since Reconstruction. Even his cousin, Theodore Roosevelt, leader of what became known as "The Progressive Era" from his 1901 accession to the Presidency until his failed 1912 bid to regain the Presidency after leaving it 1909, had not attempted such a thing.

FDR's statement that accompanied the Order cited the war effort, saying, "The democratic way of life within the nation can be defended successfully only with the help and support of all groups," and cited reports of discrimination:

There is evidence available that needed workers have been barred from industries engaged in defense production solely because of considerations of race, creed, color or national origin, to the detriment of workers' morale and of national unity.

By mentioning "creed" and "national origin," FDR intended to appeal to a big portion of his base: Urban Catholics and Jews, to show them that it wasn't just about giving better opportunities to nonwhite peoples.

The EO was issued in response to pressure from civil rights activists A. Philip Randolph, Walter White, and others involved in the March on Washington Movement, who had planned a march on Washington, D.C. on July 1, 1941, to protest racial discrimination in industry and the military.

A. Philip Randolph

There would not be a civil rights March On Washington until 1963. Randolph would be involved then, too.

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June 25, 1941 was a Wednesday. These baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees beat the St. Louis Browns, 7-5 at Yankee Stadium. The Browns scored 2 runs in the top of the 8th inning, but the Yankees scored 3 in the bottom of the 8th. Joe DiMaggio went 1-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBIs. This was the 37th game in his hitting streak.

* The New York Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 4-1 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Mel Ott went 1-for-3, but had an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

* The Brooklyn Dodgers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-4 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Cookie Lavagetto went 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Cleveland Indians, 7-2 at Fenway Park in Boston. Ted Williams went 2-for-3 with a home run, a walk and 2 RBIs. He was batting .407. Jimmie Foxx went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

* The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-4 at Shibe Park in Philadelphia.

* The Chicago White Sox beat the Washington Senators, 2-0 at Griffith Stadium in Washington. In the top of the 13th inning, Luke Appling drew a walk with the bases loaded. This moved Joe Kuhel to 3rd base, and with Ben Chapman at bat, Kuhel stole home plate. Johnny Rigney allowed 6 hits over a 13-inning shutout. Sid Hudson also went the distance for the Senators.

* The Cincinnati Reds swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-3 and 5-1 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.

* And the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Braves, 6-2 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis.