Module 4: "Double V" Campaign

The "Double V" Campaign

The "Double V" Campaign was a pivotal movement during World War II that sought to achieve two victories for African Americans: victory over fascism abroad and victory over racism and segregation at home. The campaign was launched by the Pittsburgh Courier, a prominent African American newspaper, in 1942, calling for the United States to fight for freedom and democracy both overseas and for African Americans who faced the oppressive system of Jim Crow laws at home. The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) supported this campaign, viewing it as an opportunity to challenge racial discrimination and push for civil rights reforms. The "Double V" campaign galvanized African Americans to demand a more active role in the war effort, while simultaneously advocating for an end to segregation and discrimination in American society.

The campaign also had significant resonance within the military. Despite facing the racial segregation that defined the armed forces during the war, many African American soldiers sought to prove their patriotism and worthiness of full citizenship. A key factor that influenced the "Double V" movement was the 1943 pamphlet "Attitudes of the Negro Soldier," which highlighted the experiences and frustrations of Black service members who were fighting for a country that denied them basic rights. African American soldiers, who faced both external discrimination and internal divisions within the military, felt that their service and sacrifice in the war should be met with greater equality at home. The "Double V" campaign helped to spark a broader national conversation about racial injustice, paving the way for the civil rights activism that would gain momentum after the war.