In the military:
- Segregation: African American soldiers were segregated from white soldiers in all branches of the military. They were not allowed to serve in combat units, and were instead assigned to support roles such as cooking, cleaning, and driving.
- Limited opportunities for promotion: African American soldiers were often denied opportunities for promotion, and were less likely to be commissioned as officers than white soldiers.
- Discrimination in pay: African American soldiers were paid less than white soldiers for the same work.
- Abuse: African American soldiers were often subjected to verbal and physical abuse from white soldiers and officers.
On the home front:
- Housing discrimination: African Americans were often denied access to housing in white neighborhoods.
- Employment discrimination: African Americans were often denied jobs or paid lower wages than white workers for the same work.
- Transportation discrimination: African Americans were often denied access to public transportation or forced to sit in segregated seating.
- Lynchings: African Americans were often victims of lynchings, which were often carried out by white mobs.
The discrimination that African Americans faced during World War II was a result of the racism that was prevalent in American society at the time. It was not until the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s that African Americans began to make significant progress in overcoming discrimination.