Gen. "Jim Crow" MacArthur

Executive Order 9981 was issued on July 26, 1948 by President Harry Truman. It "abolished" racial discrimination in the United States Armed Forces and eventually led to the end of segregation in the services.

It is 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. This policy shall be put into effect as rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without impairing efficiency or morale.

MacArthur "Inspecting" African-American Troops - 1951

Not surprisingly, many commanders (including Gen. Douglas MacArthur) ignored this presidential order. Thurgood Marshall (Chief Legal Counsel for the NAACP) traveled to Japan on January 14, 1951 to discuss dozens of civil rights violations (continuation of segregation, disproportionate arrests of African-American soldiers, false imprisonments, unconstitutional military trials, trumped up charges, poor treatment, etc.) with Supreme Commander Douglas MacArthur.

Thurgood Marshall

1908-1993

Marshall recalled conditions in Korea...

"There were records of trials, so-called trials, in the middle of the night where the men were sentenced to life imprisonment in hearings that lasted less than ten minutes."

and recounted Gen. MacArthur's callous bigotry toward African-American troops...

"He was as biased as any person I've run across...
no question he viewed us as inferior."

MacArthur "Searching" For Qualified Black Troops...

Marshall: "General, you've got all those guards out there with all this spit and polish and there's not one Negro in the whole group."
MacArthur: "There's none qualified."
Marshall: "Well, what's qualification?"
MacArthur: "Qualified in field battle, et cetera, et cetera."
Marshall: "Well, I just talked to a Negro yesterday, a sergeant, who has killed more people with a rifle than anybody in history...and he's not qualified?"
MacArthur: "No."
Marshall: "General, remember yesterday you had the big band playing at the ceremony over there?"
MacArthur: "Yes, wasn't it wonderful?"
Marshall: "It's beautiful...now general, just between you and me, goddamn it, don't you tell me that there's no Negro who can play a horn!" 

Marshall quipped...

"That's when he said for me to go."