The devastation of the GI Bill
By
John C Abercrombie
Officially called the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 the GI Bill provided a number of economic benefits to servicemen who had served in World War II. Some the benefits given under the bill was low cost mortgages to allow for the purchase of homes, businesses and farms. There was also unemployment compensation to help with the transition from military service to civilian employment. Educational assistance was also a major part of the bill.
Thus in 1944 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. This bill represented the promise to those who fought on behalf of the country a benefit for their sacrifice. A promise that should have been administered with benefits to all who qualified.
The bill delivered promises to those who had faced danger representing their country. Many of whom had suffered serious injuries and other devastating effects of the war. The bill was also good for the country as it brought prosperity to a post-war America. With so many positive points, is there any possibility of any negative effects?
As we look at this possibility, we look first at the fact that on the surface all who sacrificed for their country should be shown gratitude by a grateful nation. It is agreed that this is a good thing, but the administration of the policy is the problem. The Federal government essentially sponsored the program with the intent of helping all service men and women, but it was administered locally, and this is where the problem has its genesis. Blacks were in the main denied full access to the benefits that were redily available to White service members. This denial has had a generational effect on an entire race.
The Federal Housing Administration commonly referred to as the FHA also acted in a highly racially exclusive manner in handling housing programs. Some of these practices can be seen in programs such as Levittown and Daly City. What is significant about these developments? They were racially segregated with the government insisting that no houses be funded that were not exclusively for a single race. This meant that a housing project such as Levittown must be either all White or all Black. No people could be of a different race. This included housing projects and even private construction. This was financed in part by the Veterans Administration and followed the same racial restrictions.
Black veterans also faced the same problems when attempting to get access to education assistance programs. Black in addition to not getting assistance were steered towards programs that did not result in a degree, or to underfunded HBCU’s that were no able to handle the overflow of new students, thus while 19% of all White applicants were able to obtain a college degree, the number of Blacks was limited to 6%.
The discriminatory federal, state and local policies combined with political and institutional barriers to ensure significant inequities in obtaining benefits. This resulted in a high disparity in the accumulation of generational wealth which is evident today.
This unfair treatment extends to surviving spouses and direct descendants of programs administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
In an attempt to rectify the injustice of the bill, a bill has been introduced to the House and Senate legislation. The bill is names after Sergeant Isaac Woodard, Jr and Sergeant Joseph H Maddox and commonly referred to as the GI Bill Restoration Act. The bill provides for the family of Black World War II is designed to repair the damage and provides a transferable benefit to the descendants to use to attend college, secure housing, start businesses and build generational wealth.
The bill is named for Sergeant Isaac Woodard, Jr who was returning to his home after an honorable discharge. While still in uniform, he was confronted by law enforcement over the use of a restroom while traveling. The Sheriff then used his night stick to gouge both of Woodard’s eyes out leaving his permanently blinded.
Sergeant Joseph Maddox was injured during his service and received a medical discharge. He applied and was accepted to Harvard University in a master’s degree program. He sought Veterans Administration assistance from is local office to help with tuition and was denied payment to “avoid setting a precedent.”
While this post is focused on the GI Bill from World War II, we find it hard to forget that during World War I Blacks who suffered severe injury and disability were given 29% disability. Why such an odd number? Because at 30% they would have been eligible for disability benefits.
The bill named for Sergeant Isaac Woodard, Jr and Sergeant Joseph Maddox and commonly referred to as the Gi Restoration Act deserves support.
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The GI Bill like so many other laws and procedures was intended for a specific purpose. in the case of the GI Bill, it was to reward those who served in World War I. It seemed a noble step in the right direction, however the administration was turned over to people who ued it to advance a racial agenda. It is necessary to examine this and other laws that exist no matter how well intended and use the results as we pass future laws.
A law that was not intended to be discriminatory turned out to be more viligant!