An individual significant in the American Civil Rights Movement, who advocated for social and economic equality for African Americans, is a frequent subject in Advanced Placement United States History courses. Study materials often refer to him in connection with his leadership in the labor movement and his efforts to combat discrimination within the workforce and the military.
His work is important because it highlights the intersection of race, labor, and civil rights in 20th-century America. His activism, particularly his planning of the March on Washington Movement during World War II, pressured President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802, which banned discriminatory employment practices by Federal agencies and all unions and companies engaged in war-related work. This demonstrated the power of organized protest in achieving legislative and social change.
