Many of them said quite openly that, while
they were willing to hire blacks, they would only give them
menial positions regardless of their skill and training. It
became clear that racism had to be fought at home and abroad.
Many tried to get the government to take action, but it seemed
more concerned with protecting its political image and with
avoiding alienating the party's financial backers.
In January, 1941, Randolph suggested a mass march on Washington
to demand government action against discrimination both in
government services and in defense industry. The idea took root,
and a mass march was being organized for July. On June 25, 1941,
President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 which forbade
further discrimination either in government services or defense
industries, on the grounds of race, creed, or nationality. While
some discrimination still continued, the order and the Fair
Employment Practices Commission, which resulted from it,
played an important role in opening large numbers of new jobs to
the Afro-American community. The planned march, which
will be discussed more fully in a later chapter, was then called
off.
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