Date
7-21-2026
Department
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree
Master of Arts in History - Thesis (MA)
Chair
Jeffery Zvengrowski
Keywords
Desegregation, Social Progression, Military History
Disciplines
History
Recommended Citation
Spiller, Matthew Lee, "Desegregation of the Ranks: How the United States Military was the First Professional Organization to Integrate All Ethnic Groups" (2026). Masters Theses. 1524.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/masters/1524
Abstract
A nation’s military has often been at the forefront of social progression. The Spartans, a military society, granted women a voice in government and a degree of autonomy over their own lives, while the Athenians—the founders of democracy—considered women second-class citizens with no control over their own affairs. The United States military is no different, striving to ensure fair and equal treatment of all ethnicities within the armed forces. In 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the United States military—six years before the desegregation of public schools in Brown v. Board of Education (1954). This paper will explore the need for an ethical doctrine to protect the rights of all ethnic groups, the accomplishments of individuals from minority communities, and the key factors that led to desegregation within the military.
