The construction of the Pentagon in the early 1940s occurred within a deeply segregated America, and its design initially reflected the prevailing racial laws of Virginia. However, the federal jurisdiction over the building, coupled with the determined actions of individuals and presidential directives, transformed the Pentagon into a unique exception to these laws. This period highlights a significant moment in the struggle for civil rights, where
a federal institution on Southern soil became a beacon of desegregation long before the broader civil rights movement gained full momentum.
Segregated Design and Early Resistance
From its inception, the Pentagon was designed in accordance with the racial segregation laws then in force in Virginia. This meant separate eating and lavatory accommodations for white and Black persons. While the restrooms for both groups were located side by side, the dining areas designated for Black employees were situated in the basement. This architectural embodiment of segregation was a stark reality for the thousands of workers who began to occupy the building as it was completed wedge by wedge.
However, this enforced segregation did not go unchallenged. A pivotal moment occurred in May 1942 when Jimmy Harold, a Black ordnance worker, draftsman, and engineer, refused to eat in the designated Blacks-only cafeteria. He, along with other Black workers, continued to use the whites-only cafeteria for several days. This act of defiance escalated when Harold was beaten by a white security guard, bringing the issue to a head. The incident quickly drew the attention of Judge William Hastie, a Black civilian aide to Secretary of War Stimson, who secured an investigation into the matter.
Presidential Intervention and Policy Change
Upon learning of the incident involving Jimmy Harold, General Brehon B. Somervell, the construction chief for the War Department, issued an order for the "discontinuance of any enforced segregation of negro employees in the cafeterias in the Pentagon building." This directive marked a significant step towards desegregation within the facility. Further, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt visited the Pentagon before its official dedication, he personally ordered the removal of "Whites Only" signs from segregated areas.
This presidential decree met with protest from the Governor of Virginia, who argued against the federal intervention in state-mandated segregation. However, Roosevelt's administration firmly responded that the Pentagon, despite being located on Virginia land, fell under federal jurisdiction. Consequently, the military and civilian federal employees within the Pentagon were required to comply with the President's policies, not the state's segregation laws. As a result, the Pentagon became the only building in Virginia where racial segregation laws were not enforced, a status it maintained until these laws were finally overturned in 1965. The side-by-side restrooms, though originally segregated, have been integrated in practice since the building was first occupied, symbolizing a quiet but profound shift in social policy within its walls.
A Precedent for Integration
The Pentagon's early desegregation efforts, driven by both individual courage and federal authority, set a crucial precedent. It demonstrated that federal institutions could operate independently of local discriminatory laws, even in the Jim Crow South. This early integration within such a prominent federal facility offered a glimpse into a future where racial barriers would eventually be dismantled across the nation. The story of the Pentagon's desegregation is a testament to the power of executive action and the impact of individuals who challenged the status quo, contributing to the broader narrative of civil rights in the United States.
