1939-1954

U.S. in World War ||

Many of the black soldiers who entered in the arm services during World War || knew they would serve in segregated units. Marines and Army Air Corps did not allow blacks until later in the war. Most army men were used in non-combat military jobs. Relationships between black and white soldiers varied. Some whites were nice to blacks but some would attack, beat and even kill blacks. Many black and white soldiers on the front line became friends but when they returned home, the color line once again appeared.

Morgan v. Virginia

Irene Morgan, a black lady who boarded a bus in Virginia to Baltimore, Maryland. She was told to sit in the back of the bus because Virginia state law required segregation in buses. She was arrested and fined 10 dollars. A man named Thurgood Marshall took on the case. The court did not rule that segregated transportation within the state was unconstitutional, therefore Marshall lost the case and buses still allowed segregation.