Who was the president who desegregated the military?

• A. Dwight D. Eisenhower
• B. Harry S. Truman
• C. John F. Kennedy
• D. Lyndon B. Johnson

Answer: (B)

Desegregating the military happened when a president issued a directive to end racial segregation within the armed forces. In 1948, Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which demanded equal treatment and opportunity for service members of all races and led to the desegregation of the U.S. military. This move connected the fight for civil rights to the everyday reality of the troops and set a precedent for broader integration across American institutions.

The other leaders listed moved civil rights forward in different ways but did not desegregate the armed forces. Eisenhower is known for using federal troops to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock, not for military integration. Kennedy pushed civil rights legislation, and Johnson ultimately passed major civil rights laws, but the military had already been integrated by Truman.