Double V campaign was a slogan and drive to promote the fight for democracy abroad and within the United States for African Americans during World War II. The Double V refers to the "V for victory" sign prominently displayed by countries fighting "for victory over aggression, slavery, and tyranny," but adopts a second "v" to represent the double victory for African Americans fighting for freedom overseas and at home.[1] The campaign first appeared in the African-American newspaper Pittsburgh Courier on February 7, 1942. The slogan was prompted by a response to the letter, "Should I Sacrifice to Live 'Half American?'" by 26-year-old reader James G. Thompson.[2] Pitched as "Democracy – Double Victory, At Home - Abroad", the campaign highlighted the risks African Americans took while they fought in the military campaign against Axis powers while denied full citizenship within the United States.[3]
See also[]
- American propaganda during World War II
- Civil Rights Movement
- Isaiah Bradley - fictional character from Marvel Comics uses shield with Double V campaign emblem.
References[]
- ↑ Wynn, Neil A. (2010). The African American Experience during World War II. Plymouth, United Kingdom: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4422-0016-6.
- ↑ Washburn, Patrick S. (August 1981). "The Pittsburgh Courier's Double V Campaign in 1942". East Lansing, Michigan: Michigan State University. http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED205956.pdf.
- ↑ James, Rawn, Jr. (2014). "The Double V". The Double V: How Wars, Protest, and Harry Truman Desegregated America's Military. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. pp. 137–143. ISBN 9781608196227. https://books.google.com/books?id=wLHIAgAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=Double%20V%20Campaign&pg=PA137#v=onepage&q=Double%20V%20Campaign&f=false.
Further reading[]
- Copeland, David (2010). The Media's Role in Defining the Nation: The Active Voice. Peter Lang. pp. 206–208. ISBN 9781433103797. https://books.google.com/books?id=UKh0B8UDykUC&lpg=PA207&dq=Double%20V%20campaign&pg=PA206#v=onepage&q=Double%20V%20campaign&f=false.
- Gershenhorn, Jerry (2006). "Double V in North Carolina: The Carolina Times and the Struggle for Racial Equality During World War II". pp. 156–167. http://search.proquest.com/docview/205362755?accountid=10598.
- Puckett, Dan J. (2010). "Double V Campaign". In Alexander, Leslie M.; Rucker, Walter C., Jr.. Encyclopedia of African American History. ABC-CLIO. pp. 745–746. ISBN 9781851097746. https://books.google.com/books?id=uivtCqOlpTsC&lpg=PA745&dq=%22james%20g.%20thompson%22%20double%20v&pg=PA745#v=onepage&q=%22james%20g.%20thompson%22%20double%20v&f=false.
- Ward, Thomas J., Jr. (2008). "Double V Campaign". In Brown, Nikki L. M.; Stentiford, Barry M.. The Jim Crow Encyclopedia. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 247–249. ISBN 9780313341816. https://books.google.com/books?id=oLjYbzkGWk8C&lpg=PA248&dq=Double%20V%20campaign&pg=PA247#v=onepage&q=Double%20V%20campaign&f=false.
External links[]
- "Should I Sacrifice to Live 'Half American?'" written by James G. Thompson and published in the Pittsburgh Courier on January 31, 1942.
The original article can be found at Double V campaign and the edit history here.