bviously interrelated ones, were to (p. 567)
attract a greater number of young blacks to a military career and
improve the status of Negroes already in uniform. These were not easy,
short-term tasks. In the first place the Negro, ironically in view of
the services' now genuine desire to have him, was no longer so
interested in joining. As explained by Defense Department civil rights
officials, the past attitudes and practices of the services,
especially the treatment of Negroes during World War II, had created
among black opinion-makers an indifference toward the services as a
vocation.[22-40] Lacking encouragement from parents, teachers, and
peers, black youths were increasingly reluctant to consider a military
career. For their part the services tried to counter this attitude
with an energetic public relations program.[22-41] Encouraged by the
department's civil rights experts they tried to establish closer (p. 568)
relations with black students. They even reorganized their recruitment
programs, and the Secretary of Defense himself initiated a program to
attract more black ROTC cadets.[22-42] Service representatives also
worked with teachers and school officials to inform students on
military career opportunities.

[Footnote 22-40: Paul Memo.]

[Footnote 22-41: For accounts of Navy and Marine
Corps attempts to attract more Negroes, see Memos:
Smedberg for Under SecNav, 20 May 63, sub: Interim
Progress Report on Navy Measures in the Area of
Equality of Opportunity in the Armed Forces; Under
SecNav for SecNav, 15 Jul 63, sub: First Report of
Progress in the Area of Equal Opportunity in the
Navy Department; E. Hidalgo, Spec Asst to SecNav,
for L. Howard Bennett, Principal Asst for Civil
Rights, OASD (CR), 1 Oct 65, sub: Summary of Steps
Deemed Necessary to Increase Number of Qualified
Negro Officers and Enlisted Personnel on the
Navy/Marine Corps Team, SecNav file 5420 (1179).
All in GenRecsNav. See also Memos, Marine Aide to
SecNav for CofS, USMC, 5 Aug 63, sub: Equal
Opportunity in the Armed Services, and ACofS, G-1,
USMC, for CofS, USMC, 17 Aug 63, same sub, both in