The African American press in World War II : toward victory at home and abroad / Paul Alkebulan.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Alkebulan, Paul, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Press coverage--United States.

World War, 1939-1945.

African American press--History--20th century.

African American press.

World War, 1939-1945--African Americans.

African Americans.

History.

Physical Description:

ix, 165 pages ; 24 cm

Other Title:

The African American press in World War two

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Lexington Books, [2014]

Summary:

World War II was a pivotal moment for the modem civil rights movement. The American government was faced with the pressing need to convincingly appeal to the patriotism and self-interest of black citizens in the fight against fascism and its racial doctrines. The need to build national unity created an opportunity for the African American community to petition for immediate relief to long standing political, social, and economic grievances such as denial of the right to vote and discrimination in employment, education, and housing. The war gave the African American press a national stage to present their case for justice to the American people. Two hundred and thirty African American newspapers rose to the occasion. Black editors and journalists who had been giving a voice to the legitimate aspirations and grievances of African Americans for decades prior to World War II presented an alternative and more inclusive vision of democracy. The African American Press in World War II: Toward Victory at Home and Abroad explores the impact of the African American press on the struggle for civil rights, through the eyes of a diverse black press. Paul Alkebulan examines the wide ranging interests of the press prior to and during the war, including labor union struggles, equal funding for black education, the criminal justice system, and the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. While historians tend to treat the African American press as ideologically homogenous, Alkebulan reveals that this was not the case. The African American press complied a variety of voices and opinions both on the civil rights movement and international affairs. Book jacket.

Contents:

From Alabama to Abyssinia

The saga of Dorie Miller

Over there

An end to colonialism

Over here

What we fight for.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780739190760

0739190768

OCLC:

870985341