Black veterans remember bonds, tension and isolation

By HOLLY EDWARDS
Staff Writer
tennessean.com

When President Truman desegregated the armed forces on July 26, 1948, critics predicted racial tensions would weaken the military and morale on the battlefield would plummet.

Today, Truman's decision is considered one of the driving forces behind the civil rights movement.

Americans were suddenly confronted with a difficult question: If black and white soldiers could fight and die for their country together, why shouldn't they be able to sit at lunch counters and attend school together?

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