ABSTRACT
When the announcement came that the officers’ training camp would be located in Des Moines, Iowa, some local citizens protested. However, once they realized that the trainees’ behavior was excellent, most protesting ceased. 1 Still, a number of businesses discriminated against the candidates. A local Chinese restaurant owner joined forces with other cafes in denying service to black Americans. When several Soldiers entered the chop suey “palace,” the irate proprietor refused to serve the men for fear of losing business from his white customers. 2 All things considered, relationships between the citizens of Des Moines and the officer candidates went well considering the racial climate of the period.
