On September 14th 1940, with the Nazi army sweeping across Europe, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Selective Service Act, which required all men between 26 and 35 to register for the military draft. The decision also meant that Black men — unlike in the past — could join all branches of the U.S. military.
“America stands at the crossroads of its destiny,” Roosevelt declared. “Time and distance have been shortened. A few weeks have seen great nations fall. We cannot remain indifferent to the philosophy of force now rampant in the world. We must and will marshal our great potential strength to fend off war from our shores. We must and will prevent our land from becoming a victim of aggression.”
In December 1941, Japanese air forces bombed Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor, and the nation was thrust into war. With this attack on America, men, both Black and white, flooded recruitment centers to sign up. (Picture of Dorie Miller who heroically carried wounded soldiers to safety and manned an anti-aircraft gun and shot down 1-6 planes during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Miller became the first African American recipient of the Navy Cross). mississippitoday.org/2024/09/14/on-…
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