March to Annapolis, 1942
By Warren Sweeley

World War II was fought in part to free oppressed peoples.  During and after the war, African Americans faced a similar oppression by their government and fellow citizens when it came to job discrimination and civil liberties.  In February of 1942, the Pittsburgh Courier came up with the idea called the “double V” which stood for the attitudes of blacks. It also meant the victory of defeating Germany and Japan along with victory over segregation and discrimination.1   One example of an event to fight against discrimination at home was the March on Annapolis in 1942.

During World War II, African Americans were often supervised by whites.  They were working as cooks, cargo haulers, and mess men.  As the war continued some African Americans were able to learn to pilot planes in Tuskegee, Alabama.  They could not be in combat but eventually they had to ignore the color barrier. Those who were able to fight in the war had to train in segregated camps. Even though they had uniforms, white bus drivers refused to pick up blacks and take them to and back from the base camps.2

In Baltimore, almost all blacks were working at or below unskilled level, some at janitorial level.3   Jobs were listed at the Glenn L. Martin aircraft plant and, in 1943, only 175 of 20,000 workers were black and they continued to look for people out of state.4   Stores put up signs saying “No Help Wanted” and as space freed up they needed help but only from whites.5

In addition, police brutality was a problem in Baltimore during the war years.  According to a 1944 study, “[a] total of 14 Negroes have been killed by police officers since 1930 and nine of these killings occurred after the induction of Police Commissioner Stanton.  Not a single policeman was brought to trial on these cases and the temper of Baltimore Negro citizens has steadily grown worse.”6   After years of killings and brutal beatings by police of African Americans, African Americans became fed up after one major incident.  It was the killing of a solider, Private Thomas E. Broadus, on Pennsylvania Avenue and Pitcher Street.7   Juanita Jackson Mitchell said, “we thought it was wanton police brutality and cruelty.”8

The shooting of the black soldier was by Officer Edward Bender. According to Mitchell it started as a talking match, then they shouted, which followed with a fight.  The soldier decided to run and the officer shot him in the back.  Because of this, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) decided to organize a march, the March to Annapolis.9

By 11 am most of the people were on their way to Annapolis.  Around 2 pm the governor listened to what they had to say.10

When the African American citizens reached Annapolis they demanded some changes in their communities.  They wanted investigation of the police administration, more black police officers in uniform, official support for the Executive Order 8802, which was to prevent discrimination in defense jobs or the government and Negro representation on the state and city boards.11

This march was successful and left a positive mark.  The governor at the time, Governor Herbert R. O’Conor, was impressed by the fact that Negroes wanted to be in the State House.  He appointed a Commission on Problems Affecting the Negro Population to investigate the beatings. As a follow-up to their demands, constructive recommendations were made in a report in March of 1943.  One direct result of the recommendations was that three African Americans were added to the police force.12

In conclusion, African Americans faced hard times during World War II, including beatings and killings by policemen. But as a result of the March on Annapolis, African Americans were able to have a little more freedom from this experience.  African Americans could have responded negatively but they decided to respond positively.  As Juanita Jackson Mitchell explained, “[i]nstead of rioting, we marched.  We did something constructive.  I think we would have had a riot, if we hadn’t had a march.”13