The 33rd President of the United States of America, Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 - December 26, 1972) assumed office after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Although mostly unpopular during his presidential terms, public feeling towards Truman greatly increased during subsequent years. While in office, Truman established the President's Committee on Civil Rights in 1946. The following year, his administration presented a detailed ten-point agenda on civil rights reform titled, To Secure These Rights. In 1948, Truman proposed that Congress create offices devoted to voting rights and fair employment practices. However, it was the tales of abuse and violence towards African-American veterans returning from World War II that factored into his decision to issue Executive Order 9981, requiring equal opportunity in the Armed Forces. Full integration in the army was later seen to by the following president, Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Truman signed two additional executive orders that centered around civil rights. In 1948, he made it illegal to discriminate based on race against person applying for civil service positions. Later, in 1951, he established the Committee on Government Contract Compliance (CGCC) to ensure defense contractors did not discriminate based on race.
