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Human Goals Charter

August 1, 1969

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The Human Goals Charter is presented at a Pentagon luncheon, October 1969. (OSD Historical Office)

Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird and the highest military and civilian officials in the Department of Defense sign the Human Goals Charter, a blueprint for the equal opportunity program in DoD.

After 1968, racial conflict occurs more frequently within the U.S. military for a variety of reasons. In order to moderate these clashes and ensure that he can continue to attract sufficient numbers of military personnel, Laird establishes a new equal opportunity plan for DoD. The Human Goals Charter advocates for the importance of servicemen readjustment and social improvement, racial equality and cross-cultural education, and larger roles for women in the military. In the coming years, the charter spurs the creation of other DoD equal opportunity programs.1

Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Management and Personnel (Civilian Personnel Policy), Directorate for Civilian Equal Opportunity Policy, Department of Defense Human Goals Program (Washington, D.C., 1990); Richard A. Hunt, Melvin Laird and the Foundations of the Post-Vietnam Military, 1969–1973, Secretaries of Defense Historical Series, Volume VII (Washington, D.C.: Historical Office, Office of the Secretary of Defense, 2015), 526–536