Bratt, Charles

Biography

As an activist for oppressed people, Charles Bratt has fought for equality for people of all races, creeds, colors, and national origins.

Charles Bratt was an agricultural activist as Executive Chairman of the Simon J. Lubin Society of California in the late 1930's. According to the Preamble to the Constitution of the Lubin Society, the goal was to raise the standard of living for the agricultural wage earner, as well as the working farmer, and to protect their interests.

During the war years, Charles Bratt worked for the War Manpower Commission in Los Angeles. He began as an assistant to Tony Racine, the War Manpower Commission State Labor Liaison Representative, and then went to work for the United States Employment Service (USES) in Huntington Park. The USES operated under the War Manpower Commission, which was established in order to ensure that workers were connected to jobs that suited their highest skill that would help in the production of war materials.

Charles Bratt was later appointed to the position of State Minority Specialist to ensure compliance with Executive Order 9346. Issued May 27, 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, it created a new Committee on Fair Employment Practices. This was to prevent discrimination based on race, creed, color, or national origin by companies or agencies contracted with the United States Government.

After the war, Charles Bratt continued to remain active by serving on several committees to prevent discrimination and to assist in the relocation of the Japanese Americans who had been interned in the war by the United States government.

Clarence Johnson, also employed in the Los Angeles office of the War Manpower Commission, fought to end discrimination in the workplace. His official title was Field Employment Assistant of the Negro Employment and Training Branch in the Labor Division of the War Manpower Commission, however he focused mainly on unions. The unions that discriminated against minorities prevented them from working certain jobs they were qualified for when the job required union membership and the union would not accept them. Clarence Johnson's job was to fight the union discrimination. Charles Bratt and Clarence Johnson worked together to fight discrimination in employment.

Ultimately, Charles Bratt wanted equality and dedicated his life and career to the struggle.

From the guide to the Charles Bratt Papers, 1933-1952, (Southern California Library for Social Studies and Research)