What was the purpose of Executive Order 8802 signed by President Roosevelt?

• A. Promote veterans' benefits
• B. Eliminate discrimination in the armed forces
• C. Desegregate schools
• D. Create a new air force

Answer: (B)

Executive Order 8802 established that people could not be kept from defense industry jobs because of race, color, creed, or national origin. It created the Fair Employment Practices Committee to enforce this rule, making it the first federal step to promote equal employment opportunity in defense-related work during World War II. This supported wartime production by broadening who could work in defense and laid groundwork for later civil rights progress. It did not address desegregating schools, create a new air force, or provide veterans’ benefits; those areas involved different policies and actions, such as later moves to desegregate the armed forces.