Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The changing status of minorities: Truman’s desegregation of the armed…
Full specification wording
The transformation of the USA, 1945–55: The changing status of minorities: Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces; extent of integration in professional sports and popular entertainment; the growth of the NAACP; the Brown case 1954; the extent of change by 1955.
This topic traces the changing status of minorities, especially African Americans, between 1945 and 1955.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 4 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
This topic traces the changing status of minorities, especially African Americans, between 1945 and 1955. Truman desegregated the armed forces by executive order in 1948, though full implementation took time. In professional sports and popular entertainment, individual black stars achieved integration and fame, but opportunities remained limited and stereotypes persisted. The NAACP grew in membership and legal influence, challenging segregation through the courts. Its most famous success was the Brown case of 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
What earns the marks
- Explains Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces in 1948 and recognises that practical implementation was gradual and incomplete.
- Assesses the extent of integration in professional sports and popular entertainment, using named individuals and noting continuing barriers.
- Explains the growth of the NAACP in membership, organisation and legal strategy during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
- Analyses the Brown case of 1954 as a landmark Supreme Court ruling against segregation in public schools.
- Evaluates the extent of change by 1955, weighing legal victories and symbolic breakthroughs against persistent discrimination and resistance.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Claiming that Truman’s order immediately ended segregation in the armed forces.
Put it right: Explain that desegregation was phased and met resistance.
Treating the Brown case as ending segregated schooling at once.
Put it right: Note that implementation was slow and faced opposition.
Assuming that integration in sport and entertainment meant wider racial equality.
Put it right: Distinguish individual success from structural change.
Exam tips
- Use precise dates and names, such as 1948 for the armed forces order and 1954 for the Brown ruling.
- When judging the extent of change, organise evidence into progress and limits rather than listing events.
- Link legal and social developments, showing how court victories related to everyday discrimination.
Try the lesson
The start of the The transformation of the USA, 1945–55: The changing status of minorities: Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces; extent of integration in professional sports and popular entertainment; the growth of the NAACP; the Brown case 1954; the extent of change by 1955. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
In which year did the Supreme Court decide the Brown case on segregated schools?
Listen
This topic traces the changing status of minorities, especially African Americans, between 1945 and 1955. Truman desegregated the armed forces by executive order in 1948, though full implementation took time. In professional sports and popular entertainment, individual black stars achieved integration and fame, but opportunities remained limited and stereotypes persisted. The NAACP grew in membership and legal influence, challenging segregation through the courts. Its most famous success was the Brown case of 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explains Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces in 1948 and recognises that practical implementation was gradual and incomplete. Assesses the extent of integration in professional sports and popular entertainment, using named individuals and noting continuing barriers. Explains the growth of the NAACP in membership, organisation and legal strategy during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Analyses the Brown case of 1954 as a landmark Supreme Court ruling against segregation in public schools. A common slip: Claiming that Truman’s order immediately ended segregation in the armed forces. Instead, explain that desegregation was phased and met resistance. Exam tip: Use precise dates and names, such as 1948 for the armed forces order and 1954 for the Brown ruling.
Key words
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Civil rights and desegregation
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Legal change and the Supreme Court
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Integration in sport and entertainment
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The NAACP and organised protest
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See every definition
- Civil rights and desegregation
- The changing status of minorities, especially African Americans, between 1945 and 1955, including Truman’s desegregation of the armed forces and the growth of the NAACP.
- Legal change and the Supreme Court
- The NAACP challenged segregation through the courts, and its most famous success was the Brown case of 1954, when the Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.
- Integration in sport and entertainment
- Individual black stars achieved integration and fame in professional sports and popular entertainment, but opportunities remained limited and stereotypes persisted.
- The NAACP and organised protest
- The NAACP grew in membership and legal influence, challenging segregation through the courts during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
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