In what ways did the lives of black Americans change during WWII?

The change brought by the war for black Americans was limited and contested. The war presented new demands for labour, generating opportunities for African Americans (AA) to economically participate, gain skills and escape poverty. By 1945, bans on AA serving in the Marines and Army Air Corps were lifted, and the proportion of AA employed in defence industries increased by 7% compared to 4 years earlier reaching almost 8%. The war also sparked surge in civil rights activism, and a new language of rights. Membership in NAACP doubled between the beginning and the end of the war, and the 'Double V' campaign among AA press stressed the disjuncture between fighting to end fascism abroad, whilst failing to secure rights at home. In spite this progress, advancement was always contested and did not necessarily last once the war ended. Companies, including Chicago’s Maremont Automobile Company, continued to refuse to hire black employees, and when they were hired they rarely earned 50% of their white-counterparts' wage. Once white citizens returned from the war, they generally reclaimed their roles. Additionally, increases in civil rights activism did not prevent race riots in 47 cities between 1940 and 1945, as AA moved to the North and West of America in search for jobs.