Racism and sexism have been continuous issues throughout history and we are still having issues with this subject in the present day. During World War I changes were made that altered the status of how African Americans and women were viewed in society. At the time men were shipped off to Europe to fight in the war leaving many industrial jobs opens for African Americans and women to carry on the American dream and to support in the war effort. This became very beneficial for these groups, but of course it was not always completely accepted by the rest of the nation creating conflict in some cases. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People helped lead the cause for African Americans against racism and helped African Americans gain positive job opportunities. Also, the opportunities that World War I opened for women had led to the establishment of the 19h amendment (women's suffrage).World War I had opened the doors for African Americans and women in society and led to opportunities that created certain changes in the United States even though only some were permanent while others were not.
Prior to World War I African Americans had a difficult time in working their way up through society both economically and socially. Many African Americans were still working in the South as farm hands working at low wages. Once the war had started and many of the northern industries workers were sent to war due to the draft, African Americans answered the call by invading the major northern cities to take over job opportunities. This shift to the North became known as the Great Migration and is presented in Document D where the population of African Americans in major northern cities reached to over 100 percent of their previous African American population in some cities. By moving to the north African Americans were hoping to gain loyalty from the country by working in factories that produced war-time materials.