Questions: What was the purpose of Executive Order 8802 when it was signed by FDR in 1941? - prohibiting discrimination in the national defense industry - legalizing segregation in all public schools - outlawing discrimination across the entire nation

The answer is prohibiting discrimination in the national defense industry.

Executive Order 8802, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, was specifically aimed at prohibiting racial discrimination in the national defense industry. This order was a response to pressure from civil rights leaders, such as A. Philip Randolph, who threatened to organize a march on Washington to protest discrimination in defense jobs. The order established the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) to ensure compliance.

This option is incorrect. Executive Order 8802 did not address public school segregation. The issue of segregation in public schools was later addressed by the Supreme Court in the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

This option is also incorrect. While Executive Order 8802 was a significant step towards civil rights, it was limited to the national defense industry and did not outlaw discrimination across the entire nation. Comprehensive civil rights legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was needed to address discrimination more broadly.