June 16, 1940

HST delivers campaign speeches in Sedalia, Missouri, that discuss civil rights.

July 14, 1940

HST addresses the Colored Democratic Convention in Chicago.

June 1941

A. Philip Randolph organizes March on Washington.

June 25, 1941

FDR agrees to create the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

August 1942

Creation of the Advisory Committee on Negro Troop Policies (McCloy committee).

February 29, 1944

War Department Pamphlet No. 20-6 “Command of Negro Troops” is released.

October 1944

Army Service Forces Manual M5 “Leadership and the Negro Soldier” is released.

April 12, 1945

HST becomes president after FDR’s death.

October 4, 1945

First meeting of the Gillem Board.

February 1946

United Nations Commission on Civil Rights is established.

February 13, 1946

Isaac Woodard is beaten in South Carolina.

February 24–25, 1946

Mob violence in Columbia, Tennessee.

April 27, 1946

“Utilization of Negro Manpower in the Postwar Army Policy,” known as Circular 124, is released.

June 6, 1946

HST appoints Fred Vinson as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

June 6, 1946

National Negro Congress submits petition to UN.

June 21, 1946

Civil rights address by Attorney General Tom Clark.

July 25, 1946

Lynchings in Monroe, Georgia.

August 6, 1946

Formation of the National Emergency Committee against Mob Violence.

September 19, 1946

HST meets with the National Emergency Committee against Mob Violence.

September 20, 1946

HST sends Tom Clark a letter instructing him to closely examine the recent lynchings.

September 23, 1946

HST meets with Paul Robeson and the American Crusade to End Lynching.

December 5, 1946

HST issues EO 9808 that creates the President’s Committee on Civil Rights.

December 20, 1946

The President’s Advisory Commission on Universal Training met for the first time.

January 15, 1947

First meeting of the PCCR committee.

April 15, 1947

Jackie Robinson makes his debut at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

May 29, 1947

The Advisory Commission on Universal Training issues its report: A Program for National Security.

June 29, 1947

HST addresses the NAACP on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

October 10, 1947

A. Philip Randolph and Grant Reynolds organize the Committee against Jim Crow in Military Service and Training.

October 23, 1947

NAACP submits An Appeal to the World to the UN.

October 29, 1947

President’s Committee on Civil Rights submits To Secure These Rights to HST.

November 19, 1947

Truman advisor Clark Clifford submits a memo about the campaign strategy for 1948 to HST.

November 23, 1947

National Negro Congress merges with the Civil Rights Congress.

December 9, 1947

HST asks Clark Clifford to draft recommendations for a comprehensive civil rights program.

February 2, 1948

HST delivers a special message to Congress on civil rights.

March 13, 1948

Seven of fifteen southern governors reject HST’s civil rights program.

June 12, 1948

Women’s Armed Services Integration Act becomes law.

June 26, 1948

A. Philip Randolph organized the League for Non-violent Civil Disobedience against Military Segregation.

July 17, 1948

States’ Rights Democrats or Dixicrats meet in Birmingham, Alabama, and nominate Strom Thurmond for president.

July 22, 1948

Leon Henderson, Chair of Americans for Democratic Action, sends HST a letter urging him to issue an EO to eliminate segregation in the military.

July 26, 1948

HST issues EO 9980 that eliminates discrimination in federal employment.

July 26, 1948

HST issues EO 9981 that eliminates segregation in the US armed forces and establishes a committee to oversee the implementation of the EO (Fahy committee).

October 29, 1948

HST delivers a campaign speech in Harlem.

November 2, 1948

HST wins the close presidential election.

December 10, 1948

The UN General Assembly approves the International Declaration of Human Rights statement.

January 12, 1949

Fahy committee holds its first meeting.

March 1949

Louis Johnson replaces James Forrestal as Secretary of Defense.

May 11, 1949

Secretary of Defense approves the air force integration plan; rejects the plans of the army and navy.

June 1949

Gordon Gray replaces Kenneth Royall as Secretary of the Army.

June 7, 1949

Secretary of Defense approves navy’s plan for integration.

July 27, 1949

Fahy committee releases interim report.

August 25, 1949

HST appoints Tom Clark to the Supreme Court.

September 15, 1949

HST appoints Sherman Minton to the Supreme Court.

September 30, 1949

Secretary of Defense approves the army’s integration plan; however, the Fahy committee had not seen the plan.

October 6, 1949

HST refers to the army’s plan as “Progress Report.”

October 15, 1949

HST appoints William Hastie as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

January 14, 1950

Fahy committee approves the Army’s Revision of Circular 124.

May 22, 1950

President’s Committee on the Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Military releases their report Freedom to Serve.

June 1950

The Korean War begins.

November 1950

Civil Rights Congress submits We Charge Genocide to the UN.

July 13, 1951

Project Clear preliminary report is released.

November 1, 1951

Project Clear final report is released.

March 29, 1952

HST announces he will not seek reelection.

June 13, 1952

HST speaks at Howard University.

October 11, 1952

HST speaks in Harlem.

November 4, 1952

Adlai Stevenson is defeated by Dwight Eisenhower for the presidency.

October 30, 1954

Army announces that all units were integrated.