Since they faced so much discrimination, they had numerous strikes, some of which helped and some of which did nothing. These strikes were noticed by many people, including the president. However, nobody was doing anything to help stop this discrimination. One of the strikes they organized was in spring of 1941. 150,000 African Americans marched on Washington to protest discrimination in defense industries. Roosevelt, who was embarrassed and concerned, issued an executive order prohibiting discrimination in defense industries and creating the Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC). Another event that eventually lead to change was the incident on July 2, 1917, in East St. Louis. Tensions between black and white workers lead to a four-day riot that left 125 black residents dead. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) responded by holding a Silent Protest Parade with 8,000 people marching in New York City on July 28, 1917. World War 1 was an eye-opener for the black community to try to gain equal rights and change. With their efforts in the war and the many strikes and protests they had, it eventually lead to