Thesis
“By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States, by the constitution and the statutes of the United States, and as commander in Chief of the armed services, it is hereby ordered as follows: It’s hereby declared to be the policy of the President that there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.”
~ Harry Truman, Executive Order 9981
Through his Executive Order 9981 and Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services, President Harry S Truman broke a long-standing barrier by desegregating the armed forces and ensuring equality for opportunity in the armed services. His action struck a major blow to segregation in and out of the military and served as a spark for the developing Civil Rights Movement.
"Core essence of Executive Order 9981", History.com