On April 18, 1941, Dr. Robert C. Weaver was appointed as director of the Negro Manpower section within the Office of Production Management (OPM), marking a significant federal effort to integrate Black Americans into the burgeoning U.S. defense industry. As the nation mobilized for World War II, racial discrimination in hiring and union access blocked many African Americans from participating in defense work. Dr. Weaver’s role was to help break these barriers and ensure equitable access to jobs in the National Defense Program. This appointment laid the groundwork for future civil rights advancements in labor and government, and Dr. Weaver would go on to become the first African American to serve in a U.S. Cabinet position.
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