World War I and World War II both had significant social, economic, and political impacts on the lives of African Americans and brought about tremendous changes within American society . Many African Americans saw the war as an opportunity to fight for their country in exchange for equal citizenship rights at home. Unfortunately, this was not achieved in either World War I or World War II, despite the irony of the United States fighting a war for democracy abroad when discrimination existed on the home front. The central themes explored where the lives of African Americans were affected by the world wars are migration, military segregation, racial violence, and political power. It is clear that, although World Wars I and II did not represent the momentous leap forward that African Americans desired in the antebellum years, the events undoubtedly had a profound impact on the lives of African Americans and ultimately paved the way for the rights movement civilians. Initially, World War I was seen as a European war, so distant from the lives of African Americans. However, when the United States declared war on Germany in 1917, African Americans optimistically saw an opportunity to assert their rights as citizens, demand equality, and demonstrate their loyalty by enlisting and fighting for their country. This was supported by a number of prominent black activists, including W. E. B. Du bois, who urged African Americans to "close ranks" with whites. One of the lasting impacts of both World Wars was the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to the industrialized and urban North, which radically shifted the geographic center of the African American population and changed the racial balance of the country. War-related industries, such as weapons manufacturing, grew exponentially in… middle of paper… While both wars had a significant influence on the lives of African Americans, it was also a time of disillusionment, not transformation. years that would have marked the end of the hoped-for freedom struggles. However, the war years allowed African Americans to make significant strides in terms of military, socioeconomic, and political service. The move north provided African Americans with better job opportunities, greater prosperity, and with that came greater health. More importantly, the war reminded African Americans of the substandard citizenship they endured. Those who fought abroad got a sense of the respect and equality they should be entitled to at home. The events and unrest experienced in these years would be the catalyst for the civil rights movement, an epochal movement in the history of African Americans..