Presidential Documents

38073

Federal Register

Vol. 63, No. 135

Wednesday, July 15, 1998

Title 3—

The President

Proclamation 7108 of July 13, 1998

50th Anniversary of the Integration of the Armed Services,

1998

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On July 26, 1948, with the stroke of a pen, President Harry Truman changed

the course of American history. By signing Executive Order 9981, ‘‘Establishing the President’s Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity

in the Armed Services,’’ he officially declared that ‘‘there shall be equality

of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without

regard to race, color, religion or national origin.’’ His action reflected the

growing realization by more and more Americans that our Nation could

no longer reconcile segregation with the values we had fought a war to

uphold.

The United States had emerged from World War II with a new understanding

of the importance of racial and ethnic diversity to our Nation’s strength

and unity. Nazi racism and the horrors of the concentration camps shocked

Americans and revealed the true dangers of prejudice and discrimination.

Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens from many different ethnic

and racial backgrounds served and sacrificed in the war. The valor of segregated African American soldiers—from the Tuskegee Airmen and the 761st

Tank Battalion to individuals like General Benjamin O. Davis and General

Daniel ‘‘Chappie’’ James—could not be ignored. These heroes risked their

lives for our country overseas, and yet still faced discrimination here at

home. By signing Executive Order 9981, President Truman set America

on the path to right this wrong.

We have come a long way in the subsequent 50 years, and the United

States Armed Forces have been in the vanguard of our crusade to abolish

discrimination in our society. Today our men and women in uniform represent so many aspects of the diversity that has made our Nation great,

and they have proved that different people, sharing the same values, can

work together as a mighty force for peace and freedom at home and around

the world. We still have much to accomplish in our journey to become

a society that respects our differences, celebrates our diversity, and unites

around our shared values, but we should proudly mark the milestones

on that journey and rejoice in the progress we have made thus far.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution

and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim July 26, 1998, as the

50th Anniversary of the Integration of the Armed Services. I call upon

all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies,

and activities.
38074 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 135 / Wednesday, July 15, 1998 / Presidential Documents

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day

of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and

of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred

[FR Doc. 98–19040

Filed 7–14–98; 8:45 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

and twenty-third.

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