How the U.S Military was Desegregated
The back story
Any law or rule if you go back and research it stems from an horrific event. The point is then that the human must be forced or tossed into making real important dynamic change otherwise the status quo will go on and on. Change is never by accident but it can be caused by an accident. That is how desegregation in the United States Military happened. As someone who were a uniform for this country it gives a personal perspective also. I had it easy!!
Something we take for granted in a typical day of human interaction turned into an historic altering tragedy. On Feb. 12th, 1946 a Black U.S Army veteran named Isaac Woodard was looking forward to getting home to see his family and reunite with his wife! Something innocent! He was coming Augusta, Georgia. I will assume he was coming from Fort Gordon. I did my advanced training at Fort Gordon.
Apparently Mr. Woodard boarded the bus to get to Winnsboro, South Carolina just like I have done at least a half dozen times and went north on a bus! The bus driver apparently made a stop……. Mr. Woodard asked if he could use the bathroom, the driver cursed disrespectfully loudly to the WW2 war veteran and being in full military uniform didn’t stop the hateful onslaught of disrespect.
The bus apparently pulled into Batesburg, South Carolina and the driver told the police of Woodard’s ‘disrespect’ but obviously didn’t tell the whole story. You must remember this is 1946 in the south of the United States of America….. The alleged land of the free! The driver just told his side. There was no civil rights at that time! MLK had not marched yet. Rosa parks had not decided not to get up from her seat in 1955! Woodard was ordered off the bus by the police.
Woodard attempted to tell his side of the story to a police officer that was met with a night stick assault. Woodard was taken to jail without his now injuries from the police assault not even looked at. In fact he said in later testimony that he was repeatedly assaulted by the Police Chief, Linwood Shull. He was pounded in the eyes with the end of the night stick until he apparently blacked out in that moment. Of course Mr. Shull denied the allegations despite the obvious physical injuries.
The photo that is posted shows Mr. Woodard now a blind man. Think about that he went to war and got back home to be permanently injured by a so called law enforcement officer. When he woke up in jail he couldn’t see. The police charged him with the old standby of disorderly conduct! Now in this case who had the disorderly conduct? The police claimed he had been drunk. When in custody they offered him alcohol which he turned down! Witnesses stated he had not been drinking. After paying a fine he was driven to a veterans hospital in Columbia, South Carolina where doctors told him he was permanently blind! That must been jarring to Mr. Woodard! All I am asking you here to imagine being in his shoes.
The NAACP took on Woodard’s cause. A benefit concert for Woodard was put together for him to now assist this now disabled honorably discharged veteran. Orson Welles, Woody Guthrie, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday and Milton Berle headlined. Mr. Welles became a champion for Woodard for many years! Mr. Welles was instrumental in keeping ‘the flame of justice’ ignited. Mr. Welles was contacted by Walter White, executive secretary.
Orson Welles was a writer, director, and star of the influential movie Citizen Kane. However at the time Welles also wrote a syndicated newspaper column and broadcasted a weekly political commentary on the radio. Mr. White in the letter said this is the worse case that had come through his office! Apparently on July 28th 1946, Welles vowed to fight for Woodard because he had fought for his country! On his radio show Orson Welles said:
The blind soldier fought for me in this war, the least I can do is fight for him! I have eyes……. He hasn’t. I have a voice on the radio…. He hasn’t! I was born a white man, and until a colored man is a full citizen, like me, I haven’t leisure to enjoy the freedom that a colored man who risked his life. Until somebody beats me and blinds me I am in his debt.
Woody Guthrie wrote and performed a song titled ‘The Blinding of Isaac Woodard! For someone to conceive a song it say’s how much this situation had touched the society at that time.
The South Carolina authorities refused to prosecute the Police Chief Shull! The NAACP then pressured the Truman White House to file federal charges because Woodard had been wearing his Army uniform. The all white jury exonerated the Police Chief. Apparently the Woodard case impacted President Truman deeply. Due to states rights Truman could do nothing about the exoneration. What he did was create the President’s committee on Civil Rights - the first national civil rights commission. The committee released it’s report ‘To secure these rights in October 1947. On July 26th 1948, Truman issued an executive order desegregating the U.S Armed forces.
In closing, this for me is for all of us to question what is in front of us and how it got there! What I see now I have to accept that a negative situation must have taken place! So do not take for granted anything you see and live by! I know that is a challenge for the individual to do but if you can do this it shall give you a much clearer vision of the world in front of you. Someone or something had to suffer so we can walk along in life with ease. I know most will not do this or have the capability to do so. I hope I am incorrect in that statement.
#ObservationReporter
Disclaimer: Absolutely no A.I utilized here. Only H.I utilized here.
There is love and hate……your choice. There is fear and freedom…..your choice.
Now what will your mind allow you to do?