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A Case Study of Lynn V. Downer and African American SEGREGATION IS DISCRIMINATION: A CASE STUDY OF LYNN V. DOWNER AND AFRICAN AMERICAN RESISTANCE TO RACIALIZED MILITARY SERVICE IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR by MELISSA A. GEDDIS A Dissertation submitted to the Graduate School-Newark Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Graduate Program in History written under the direction of Dr. Susan Carruthers and approved by _________________________________ Newark, New Jersey May, 2015 ©[2015] Melissa A. Geddis ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Segregation IS Discrimination: A Case Study of Lynn v. Downer and African American Resistance to Racialized Military Service in the Second World War by Melissa A. Geddis Dissertation Director: Dr. Susan Carruthers This thesis is an attempt to fill a void in the master narrative of African American World War II history by exploring the obscure case of Winfred W. Lynn, an African American man whose refusal to serve in a segregated army resulted in one of the most significant, yet overlooked legal tests of segregation in the twentieth century. Using the case Lynn v. Downer as the primary lens of analysis, the intention of this thesis is to give insight into the Lynn case, demonstrate the significance of wartime black protest, and to provide a deeper comprehension of the obstacles African American draft resisters faced in the military, civilian legal system, and black community throughout World War II. This thesis also examines the role of traditional black institutions such as the NAACP and black press in the public depiction of African American draft resisters. A precursor to the 1954 school desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education, the Lynn case is a bittersweet example of early attempts made by the black community to combat racial ii segregation through the courts and federal legislation. It also represents the first time the Supreme Court was approached with the issue of segregation within a federal institution. As such, this thesis subtly emphasizes how the critical nature of the war helped to conceal the War Department, U.S. Army, and judicial system’s use of pre-existing racial tensions and legal loopholes to bend the law in their favor and violate the nondiscrimination provisions of the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940. iii Preface This thesis began as an attempt to better understand what it meant to be black during the Second World War, to and come to terms with my own mixed feelings on African American participants in the “Good War.” My grandfather, Robert W. Geddis was my primary source of inspiration. Though he possessed ambivalent feelings towards the American military, he accepted his draft call and served in the Pacific in World War II. He never spoke of his wartime experiences, why he chose to serve, and passed away shortly before I was born. While I possess some of the letters he sent home during the war, I wrote this thesis so that I might gain clarity and further comprehension of his decision. In searching for an angle to examine black World War II conscientious objectors, an idea was cast my way in a chance meeting. On the advice of my late friend and mentor, Dr. Clement Alexander Price, I had a brief conversation with Professor Randall Kennedy during which he told me the story of Winfred Lynn. From there I was determined to shed light on this relatively unknown segment of African American World War II history. While my work on the Lynn case is far from complete, I hope this thesis can serve as a foundation for further studies of black draft resistance. iv Acknowledgments I would like to thank the staff, faculty, and students of the Federated Department of History at Rutgers-Newark and New Jersey Institute of Technology for their constant encouragement throughout my graduate school experience, especially Dr. Beryl Satter and Dr. Stephen Pemberton. Special thanks to Ms. Christina Strasburger whose optimism and warmth always makes things feel a little less daunting. I also owe a very special thank you to my advisor, Dr. Susan Carruthers whose straightforward, hands-on approach, unbelievable patience, and constructive criticism brought this project to completion while making me a better writer, student, historian, and person. Ultimately this work would not have been possible without the help, advice, and compassionate ears of my mother Roberta Geddis, and my good friend Tom Hollenbach. I am genuinely thankful to have you both in my life. Finally, this thesis is dedicated in four parts: To my grandfather, Robert W. Geddis whose lifetime of sacrifice compels me to succeed, and who I miss everyday. To the countless men and women of the U.S. armed services, past and present. Your courage and commitment give me the freedom to pursue the truth, a debt I can never repay. Thank you for your service. To the thousands of pacifists, conscientious objectors, draft resisters, and political activists whose hard work and adherence to personal convictions made this thesis possible. Last but not least, to the late Dr. Clement Alexander Price, without whom I might have never been introduced to the story of Winfred Lynn. I am truly grateful to have known you, sir. v Table of Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii Preface ............................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................v Introduction: …………………………………………………………………………….1 Chapter 1: Lynn v. Downer, the 20th Century’s Dred Scott Case ..............................12 Chapter 2: The NAACP and the Draft ..........................................................................31 Chapter 3: The Black Press and African American Resistance to the War ...............45 Conclusions .......................................................................................................................64 Bibliography .....................................................................................................................69 vi 1 Introduction In the eyes of many Americans, the Second World War is the quintessential symbol of honor, sacrifice, perseverance, valor, and diligence. It helped lift the country from the grips of the Great Depression and brought more women into the workforce, demonstrating their potential for more than housewifery and motherhood. It was a war fought to preserve Democracy and restore freedom to those suffering under totalitarian rule. In short, it was a just cause, its success partially due to exceptional displays of public support. However, the master narrative of World War II history is riddled with holes left by the untold stories of individuals whose wartime contributions are marginalized and overshadowed by more conventional historical accounts. This work is an attempt to fill one of those gaps by exploring the obscure case of Winfred W. Lynn, an African American landscape architect whose refusal to serve in a segregated army resulted in one of the most significant twentieth century tests of legal segregation, which coincidentally, most people never knew existed. For generations, black Americans have sought variations of the same thing––their inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Outward exhibits of political agency and resistance may have ebbed and flowed over the years, but nevertheless, the goal remained. Similar to a family heirloom, the desire for freedom was handed down generationally with each passing the necessary “elements of nourishment” to cultivate the roots of protest that eventually culminated with the civil rights movement.1 Or as Anne 1 The phrase “elements of nourishment” was used repeatedly by the late Dr. Clement Alexander Price in his final class at Rutgers University – Newark in the spring of 2014, during which I developed the initial idea to focus on black conscientious objectors in World War II. Dr. Clement Alexander Price, “The Foundation for Change: World War II to the Mid-1950s, part 1,” (Class lecture, Rutgers University – Newark, Newark, NJ February 6, 2014). 2 Valk and Leslie Brown put it, the descendants of the enslaved “inherited the memories of slavery and hopes of freedom.”2 The same ideal resided in Winfred Lynn. Neither a pacifist, nor against American involvement in the war, Winfred Lynn simply wanted the opportunity to serve as a man, not a black man. A conviction he expressed in a letter sent to his local draft board in which Lynn volunteered to enlist in the integrated Canadian Army should the United States armed services continue its segregative practices.3 Needless to say the army disregarded Lynn’s suggestion as he was arrested and detained in a federal facility when he failed to report for induction. With the help of his brother, attorney and Civil Rights activist Conrad Lynn, and American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Arthur Garfield Hays, among others, Winfred Lynn then challenged the military’s racialized policies in court on the basis of discriminatory practices within the Selective Service System. Although Winfred Lynn was not alone in his feelings towards the military’s segregation policy, three distinct factors make this case unique. First, in December 1942 when the case was initially brought before Judge Mortimer Byers, it was dismissed on the basis that because Winfred Lynn
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