The War Effort

All of the soldiers, commanding officers, and other military personnel depicted in Johnson's World War II paintings are African American. The United States armed forces were segregated at the time Johnson painted these works, which meant that black and white soldiers were housed and trained separately.

Research the role of African Americans in the military during World War II. Find out about well-known heroes such as generals Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., and Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., and little-known individuals like Dorie Miller. When were the United States armed forces finally integrated?

Find out about the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. Who were they? What did they do? How were they special? Work with your classmates to write and present a brief report about them.