President Harry S. Truman played a significant role in advancing civil rights and promoting equality for African Americans during his time in office. In 1948, Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the armed forces and called for equality of treatment and opportunity for all military personnel, regardless of race.

Additionally, Truman's support for civil rights was evident in his advocacy for anti-lynching legislation and his creation of the President's Committee on Civil Rights. This committee produced a landmark report in 1947, "To Secure These Rights," which called for an end to segregation and discrimination in American society.

Truman also took steps to address racial inequality in federal employment by issuing Executive Order 10308, which established a Fair Employment Board to investigate charges of discrimination in government hiring.

Overall, President Truman's actions in support of civil rights marked a significant shift in federal policy towards racial equality and laid the groundwork for the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s.