Chapter 54

Summary

• Mary is initially hopeful due to an agreement she had previously made with President Roosevelt and General Watson to address issues of racial discrimination in military recruitment and segregation.
• Despite this agreement, reports indicate that Black volunteers are still being turned away from military recruitment stations or are assigned to demeaning duties. Housing segregation in the barracks has also continued.
• These events cause dissent within the Federal Council, which now suspects that President Roosevelt was merely appeasing Mary rather than addressing the racial issues.
• Mary's assistant, Dovey, suggests to Mary that they continue to send out invitations to the increasingly divided Federal Council meetings. They hope that this action will demonstrate their ongoing expectations for unity and resolution.
• Mary appreciates Dovey's insight and assistance; she credits Dovey with contributing substantially to her work within NCNW and government discussions.
• Financial issues are plaguing Mary's college, which is only surviving due to donations from supporters such as Eleanor.
• Walter White, another character, interrupts to tell Mary about a new press release issued by President Roosevelt's office announcing a policy about Black individuals in the military. The policy confirms some of the promises made in their previous agreement, such as instituting pilot and combat training programs and promoting more Black soldiers to higher positions in the military.
• However, Walter reveals the shocking news that Mr. Woodburn added to the policy the War Department's intent to maintain segregation within military units.
• Mary and Walter are outraged since they believe this change in policy formalizes the practice of segregation in the military. They believe this change goes against President Roosevelt's intentions and that Mr. Woodburn is responsible for this setback in racial equality.
• As a result, Mary and Walter conclude that they must find a way to reverse this statement, fearing that its impact could set back the progress made in the fight for racial equality by decades.