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Harry Truman and the Struggle for Racial Justice
When Harry Truman was rescued from political obscurity to become Franklin Roosevelt's running mate, black Americans were deeply troubled. Many believed that Truman, born and raised in former slave-holding Missouri, was a step back on civil rights from Henry Wallace, the liberal incumbent vice president. But by the end of his own presidency, black newspaper publishers cited Truman for having "awakened the conscience of America and given new strength to our democracy by his courageous efforts on behalf of freedom and equality."
In this first full-scale account of Truman's evolving views on civil rights, Robert Shogan recounts how Truman outgrew the bigotry of his Jackson County upbringing to become the first president since Lincoln to attempt to redress the nation's long history of injustice toward its black citizens--and in the process transformed the course of race relations in America. Shogan vividly demonstrates the full significance of the 33rd president's contributions to that transformation. He ordered the integration of the armed forces and threw the weight of the Justice Department behind the long struggle against segregation in housing and education. And he used the platform of his presidency to relentlessly trumpet the cause of equal rights for those least favored Americans, even making an unprecedented address to the NAACP.
Going beyond other accounts of Truman, Shogan points out the political and personal factors that motivated the president and weighs the potential political costs and benefits of his civil rights actions. Shogan also explains Truman's shift away from his formative racial prejudices by shedding light on the forces that shaped his character and leadership qualities. These included his political tutelage under "Boss Tom" Pendergast, which taught him the value of black voters, and the influence of populism, which fostered his support for underdogs such as black Americans.
Illuminating how Truman became the first president to make racial injustice a political priority-and the first to denounce segregation as well as discrimination--Shogan's book opens a new and provocative window on the struggle for civil rights in America.
In this first full-scale account of Truman's evolving views on civil rights, Robert Shogan recounts how Truman outgrew the bigotry of his Jackson County upbringing to become the first president since Lincoln to attempt to redress the nation's long history of injustice toward its black citizens--and in the process transformed the course of race relations in America. Shogan vividly demonstrates the full significance of the 33rd president's contributions to that transformation. He ordered the integration of the armed forces and threw the weight of the Justice Department behind the long struggle against segregation in housing and education. And he used the platform of his presidency to relentlessly trumpet the cause of equal rights for those least favored Americans, even making an unprecedented address to the NAACP.
Going beyond other accounts of Truman, Shogan points out the political and personal factors that motivated the president and weighs the potential political costs and benefits of his civil rights actions. Shogan also explains Truman's shift away from his formative racial prejudices by shedding light on the forces that shaped his character and leadership qualities. These included his political tutelage under "Boss Tom" Pendergast, which taught him the value of black voters, and the influence of populism, which fostered his support for underdogs such as black Americans.
Illuminating how Truman became the first president to make racial injustice a political priority-and the first to denounce segregation as well as discrimination--Shogan's book opens a new and provocative window on the struggle for civil rights in America.
248 pages, Hardcover
First published June 27, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 14, 2017
This book details Truman's beliefs and actions on civil rights. It traces his roots in Missouri and his family influences on his views on race. The author then explores his political career and the further development of his views. His involvement with the Pendergast machine not only helped his career but also taught him to court the black vote. Truman was never a virulent racist. He believed in political and economic equality for blacks, but not social equality.
He was chosen to run for Vice President in 1944 in what was FDR's last campaign. Upon the death of FDR he became president. He then made moves to advance civil rights. He issued executive orders to end segregation in the armed forces and in federal hiring. He called for legislation to end Jim Crow and work towards black rights. The South and some Republicans managed to stop most of his proposals. Toward the end of his presidency, his justice department began to actively involve the government in civil rights cases before the Supreme Court. They filled amicus curaie briefs to support striking down discrimination against blacks. His stance on civil rights was much deeper than often acknowledged. This was a good book that sheds light on an era of civil rights often glossed over on the way to the sixties.
He was chosen to run for Vice President in 1944 in what was FDR's last campaign. Upon the death of FDR he became president. He then made moves to advance civil rights. He issued executive orders to end segregation in the armed forces and in federal hiring. He called for legislation to end Jim Crow and work towards black rights. The South and some Republicans managed to stop most of his proposals. Toward the end of his presidency, his justice department began to actively involve the government in civil rights cases before the Supreme Court. They filled amicus curaie briefs to support striking down discrimination against blacks. His stance on civil rights was much deeper than often acknowledged. This was a good book that sheds light on an era of civil rights often glossed over on the way to the sixties.
October 30, 2018
This is a very interesting study in how President Truman overcame his natural prejudices from growing up in Missouri to move the Federal government towards more social justice in race relations. He integrated the armed forces over objections from the Army and General Eisenhower. His justice department developed the groundwork for the Brown vs. The Board of Education Case which was given after his term expired. There were many roadblocks in his path from Congress and the public, but he persevered to see significant changes in the law to protect minority rights. It is well written and gives a good picture of where the nation stood on civil rights at the time and what was done by conservatives to inhibit the changes. How Truman worked around the difficulties is a good story and we should all be indebted to him for making the changes which furthered the cause of civil rights.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews