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“When I say Americans, I mean all Americans!” — Segregation’s take-down by President Harry Truman
—On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed a pair of executive orders, the combination of which banned racial segregation in the armed forces and federal civil service. This article offers context on this occurrence and explores their significance more than 75 years after being signed.
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First to serve, first to fight and first to sacrifice—African Americans in the U.S. Coast Guard
—The history of African American participation in the Coast Guard and its predecessor services dates back to the very founding of the Service in 1790.