What was the importance of executive order 9981 issued by president Truman in 1948?

Answer 1

It integrated those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.

Answer 2

On July 26, 1948, President Truman bypassed the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government to issue Executive Order 9981, establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services. This order specifically addressed discrimination against race, color, religion and national origin, and was an important step toward desegregation during the early Civil Rights movement.

Truman also created a military advisory committee, The President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services (also called the Fahy Committee, after its Chairman, Charles Fahy), composed of seven Presidential appointees charged with examining military rules, procedures and practices that interfered with equitable treatment of military personnel. The committee had the power to compel testimony of any member of the armed services, executive branch, or departments of the Federal Government.

On the day of signing, military leaders immediately opposed the Order, arguing 9981 did not specifically require integration. Army Chief of Staff General Omar N. Bradley argued that desegregation will come to the Army only when it becomes a fact in the rest of American society.

On July 29, 1948, President Truman stated in a press conference that the intent of Executive Order 9981 was to end segregation in the armed forces.

The Fahy Committee held its first meeting with Truman on January 12, 1949, and convened its first hearing on January 13 of the same year. In testimony, representatives of the Army and Marine Corps defended segregation of African-Americans, but the Navy and Air Force both indicated they would integrate their units.

On April 1, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson issued a directive to the Secretaries of the Army, Navy, and Air Force which emphasized the Department of Defense's policy that there should be equality of treatment and opportunity for all in the armed services, and that "qualified Negro personnel shall be assigned to fill any type of position...without regard to race."

Despite this decree, both the Army and Navy resisted full integration, and submitted plans to the Fahy Committee that the members considered unacceptable. In contrast, the Air Force plan was immediately adopted. After much debate and pressure from the Secretary of Defense, the Navy also created an acceptable plan for integration.

In September 1949, the Army bypassed the Fahy Committee and submitted a plan directly to the Secretary of Defense that included provisions for maintaining segregated units and a 10% recruitment quota for African-Americans. Although both Truman and the Fahy Committee considered this unacceptable, Louis Johnson agreed to the Army's terms.

On December 15, 1949, the Fahy Committee submitted recommendations and modifications to the Army's plan. A meeting between Fahy and Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray resulted in a tentative agreement for gradual integration.

In March 1950, the Army agreed to abolish its 10% enlistment quota for African-Americans, effective April 1950.

On May 22, 1950, The Fahy Committee submitted its final report, "Freedom to Serve," to the President, who expressed confidence that the Committee's recommendations would be carried out, stating "within the reasonably near future, equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons within the armed services would be accomplished."

President Truman disbanded the Fahy Committee on July 6, 1950.

By 1953, 95% of Army units were integrated.