Why was executive order 8802 passed

Executive Order was an executive order signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on June 25, It prohibited ethnic or racial discrimination in the nation's defense industry, including in companies, unions, and federal agencies. Executive Order was the first federal action, though not a law, to promote equal opportunity and prohibit employment discrimination in the United States.

It represented the first executive civil rights directive since Reconstruction.

What is the difference between an executive order and a law?

The President's statement that accompanied the order cited the war effort, saying that "the democratic way of life within the nation can be defended successfully only with the help and support of all groups," and cited reports of discrimination: [ 3 ]. There is evidence available that needed workers have been barred from industries engaged in defense production solely because of considerations of race, creed, color or national origin, to the detriment of workers' morale and of national unity.

The order was issued in response to pressure from civil rights and labor activists A. The preamble to the order read: [ 4 ]. Whereas it is the policy of the United States to encourage full participation in the national defense program by all citizens of the United States, regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin, in the firm belief that the democratic way of life within the Nation can be defended successfully only with the help and support of all groups within its borders; and.

Whereas there is evidence that available and needed workers have been barred from employment in industries engaged in defense production solely because of consideration of race, creed, color, or national origin, to the detriment of workers' morale and of national unity:.

Executive order 9981

Now, Therefore, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes, and as a prerequisite to the successful conduct of our national defense production effort, I do hereby reaffirm the policy of the United States that there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries or government because of race, creed, color, or national origin, and I do hereby declare that it is the duty of employers and of labor organizations, in furtherance of said policy and of this Order, to provide for the full and equitable participation of all workers in defense industries, without discrimination because of race, creed, color, or national origin;.

However, the US had already involved itself in the war effort through other means, such as by supplying the Allied Powers through the Lend-Lease Act. The economic benefits of the war, however, were disproportionately experienced by White Americans. Board of Education deeming segregation unconstitutional would not be issued until , Black workers were prohibited from working despite acute labor shortages.

Indeed, less than half of defense industry companies included in a survey carried out by the US employment service USES stated that they would not want to hire Black workers.