World War II
During World War II, Hastie worked as a civilian aide to the Secretary of War Henry Stimson from 1940 to 1942. He vigorously advocated the equal treatment of African Americans in the Army and their unrestricted use in the war effort.
On January 15, 1943, Hastie resigned his position in protest against racially segregated training facilities in the Army Air Force, inadequate training for African-American pilots, and the unequal distribution of assignments between whites and non-whites. That same year, he received the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP, both for his lifetime achievements and in recognition of this protest action.
This was expected to be the end of his government career. But in 1946, President Truman appointed Hastie territorial Governor of the U. S. Virgin Islands—the first African-American to hold this position. Hastie served as Governor from 1946 to 1949.
Read more about this topic: William H. Hastie
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