Which action desegregated the U.S. military in 1948?

• A. Civil Rights Act of 1964
• B. Brown v. Board
• C. Civil Rights Act of 1957
• D. Executive Order 9981 (1948)

Answer: (D)

Desegregating the armed forces happened through a presidential action in 1948. President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, directing that the U.S. military be desegregated and that equal treatment and opportunity would be provided for all service members, regardless of race. This order was a landmark move, moving the country toward ending racially separate units in the military and setting a precedent for further civil rights progress. It reflected growing postwar momentum for equality and laid the groundwork for later reforms, even as combatting segregation continued in other areas of society.

The other actions listed are important civil rights milestones, but they do not desegregate the military in 1948. A 1964 act targeted broader civil rights issues like voting and public accommodations; a 1957 act focused mainly on voting rights, not military integration; and a 1954 Supreme Court ruling addressed school segregation, not the armed forces.