World War II helped African Americans to gain momentum towards civil rights.
African Americans played a vital role in the war effort both overseas and at home. Employment of African American men greatly increased during this time, as the millions of men drafted in the military draft opened up a significant amount of factory jobs. Along with this, African-American men joined the military. One of the most popular groups was the Tuskegee Airmen, who flew thousands of missions and helped the US significantly when fighting in Europe. Ultimately, the sacrifice of these citizens in helping the war effort showed their dedication to this country and helped to show skeptics that they deserve the same rights as other citizens.