Harry Truman played a significant role in advancing civil rights for African Americans during his presidency. In 1948, Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the U.S. armed forces and called for "equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin." This was a landmark moment in the struggle for civil rights and marked the beginning of the end of segregation in the military.

Truman also established the President's Committee on Civil Rights in 1946, which published a report titled "To Secure These Rights" in 1947. The report called for sweeping reforms to address racial discrimination and inequality in the United States.

Additionally, Truman's support for civil rights continued with his advocacy for anti-lynching legislation and his efforts to address housing discrimination. He also appointed several African Americans to high-ranking positions in his administration, including appointing Ralph Bunche as the U.S. representative to the United Nations.

Overall, Truman's actions helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and he is remembered as a president who took important steps towards advancing racial equality in America.