Truman was a racist. He used the n word freely and often. In 1946 he had a meeting with an NAACP delegation led by Walter White.
White shared with him the plight of Isaac Woodard. Woodard was a black Sargeant in the US Army. Upon returning back to the USA while traveling on a greyhound bus in the south he and the driver engaged in a shouting match. According to accounts from other passengers the dispute started when Woodard asked the driver if he would pull over so he could relieve himself. The driver cussed him and Woodard cussed him back.
When the bus arrived in the next town which was Batesburg, SC the driver left the buss and got the local police to forcefully remove Woodard from the bus. Woodard was struck in the head with a Billy club. The Sheriff asked Woidard if he were still on active duty. Woodard replied that he had just been discharged. At that point the Sheriff and one of deputies rendered Woodard unconscious with blows. While he was unconscious his eyes were gouged with the end of a baton which left him blind for the remainder of his life.
Walter White shared this account with Truman. As a result Truman ordered the Justice department to initiate an investigation. The perpetrator was Identified and put on trial. He was found innocent.
Truman who was born just twenty years after the Civil War, Truman who had been the child in a family where both sides of his family had been slave holders, Truman the man who liberally used the N word himself was impacted by what happened to Sgt. Isaac Woodard. He was so impacted that in 1948 leading up to the Presidential race he integrated the military much to the dismay and horror of the Dixiecrats. Maybe he did it for political reasons maybe he did it because it was just the right thing to do. What ever the case he did it and he won the 1948 election.
Truman and Woodard came from two different worlds. The only thing they had in common was service to their country. Truman had been in WW I and Woodard in WW II. Their experience from warfare was their common denominator. Their experience in 1946 post war America ushered in an era of Civil Rights that lasted for the next 22 years. What it should illustrate for all of us is that the courage to do the right thing should be what American exceptionalism really means.
Think!!
Eyes Wide 👀 👁 Open!!!