President Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights

Scope

“This microfilm collection brings together the various manuscript material in the Harry S. Truman Library at Independence, Missouri relative to the President’s Committee on Civil Rights (PCCR), 1946-1948.”  The committee met 10 times from January to September 1947.  “It solicited advice from over 250 individuals and organizations and took formal testimony from nearly 40 experts in civil rights and civil liberties. In its report, To Secure These Rights, presented to Truman in October 1947, the Committee attacked segregation head on, called on the federal government to take the lead for civil rights reform, and provided 34 far-reaching recommendations for specific national, state and local action.  With the PCCR report as inspiration, Truman would present, within a year, a Special Message on Civil Rights to Congress and issue executive orders to eliminate discrimination from the United State civil service and armed forces.” (Guide to President Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights)

The microfilm collection contains: both private and official correspondence; transcripts of PCCR meetings; drafts of speeches and assorted working papers of the committee; and the final report, To Secure These Rights.