How Did African American Involvement In The Civil War

Prior to the Civil War, baseball was mainly played as a recreational sport in athletic clubs. By 1865, the end of the Civil War, baseball had become increasingly popular. Although the 13th amendment abolished slavery and the 14th established African American’s civil rights, they were far from true emancipation and being considered as equal to whites. In the South, Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation. Blacks were not allowed to go to the same schools as whites, they were to sit at the back of vehicles, even drinking fountains were labeled “colored” or “white”. Segregation occurred openly in the North as well, as shops often had “whites only” signs and schools were also divided. Both major and minor baseball leagues barred African Americans from joining their teams.
African American involvement in the war did much to change the attitudes of many Americans on the issue of race. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 8802, which stated that racial discrimination by employers in federal agencies and companies in war related work was illegal. Due to this, a large migration of African Americans into northern industrial cities occurred. More African Americans were working and had disposable income. This greatly contributed to the rise of the Negro Leagues as people now had money to spend on leisure activities. Even though some players were called to serve in the war, African American baseball thrived. League games were packed in every city, ensuring the finance of black baseball. In 1942, the Negro League World Series was revived which showed how successful the Negro Leagues had become. As World War II came to an end, more and more people were demanding equality. The Negro Leagues helped establish that African Americans were no different than whites and were capable of incredible achievements. The press began to call for desegregation and the integration of