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Emmett J. Scott, former secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary of War.
1917 (Nov 5)
Emmett J. Scott, former secretary to Booker T. Washington, was appointed Special Assistant to the Secretary of War. Specifically, Scott was to work for nondiscriminatory application of the Selective Service Act; to formulate plans to build up morale among Blacks, soldiers, and civilians; and to investigate complaints of unfair treatment of Blacks. He also disseminated news concerning Black soldiers on the home front. In June of 1918, Scott called a conference of about thirty Black newspaper publishers who pledged their support of the American war effort but denounced anti-Black violence and discrimination at home. The coalition called for the recruitment of Black Red Cross nurses and asked for the appointment of a Black war correspondent.
References:
- • Hornsby, Alton. Chronology of African-American History: Significant Events and People from 1619 to the Present. Detroit: Gale Research, 1995.