Posted on Jun 22, 2021
How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans
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How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans
The sweeping bill promised prosperity to veterans. So why didn’t Black Americans benefit?
ERIN BLAKEMORE
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
When Eugene Burnett saw the neat tract houses of Levittown, New York, he knew he wanted to buy one. It was 1949, and he was ready to settle down in a larger home with his family. The newly established Long Island suburb seemed like the perfect place to begin their postwar life—one that, he hoped, would be improved with the help of the GI Bill, a piece of sweeping legislation aimed at helping World War II veterans like Burnett prosper after the war.
But when he spoke with a salesman about buying the house using a GI Bill-guaranteed mortgage, the door to suburban life in Levittown slammed firmly in his face. The suburb wasn’t open to Black residents.
The sweeping bill promised prosperity to veterans. So why didn’t Black Americans benefit?
ERIN BLAKEMORE
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
When Eugene Burnett saw the neat tract houses of Levittown, New York, he knew he wanted to buy one. It was 1949, and he was ready to settle down in a larger home with his family. The newly established Long Island suburb seemed like the perfect place to begin their postwar life—one that, he hoped, would be improved with the help of the GI Bill, a piece of sweeping legislation aimed at helping World War II veterans like Burnett prosper after the war.
But when he spoke with a salesman about buying the house using a GI Bill-guaranteed mortgage, the door to suburban life in Levittown slammed firmly in his face. The suburb wasn’t open to Black residents.
How the GI Bill's Promise Was Denied to a Million Black WWII Veterans
Posted from history.com
Racism
GI Bill
WWII World War Two
American History
Benefits
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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Does any of this surprise me? No. What was brought out in this was the discrimination was not just in the south, but in the northern states as well. I grew up in NJ and NY and saw more overt racism towards blacks and jews than I have seen in all my years living in 6 southern states for the majority of my life. Just my own observations.
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