▁to ▁one ▁day ▁take ▁up ▁the ▁fight ▁for ▁ra cial ▁justice . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁Mitchell ▁began ▁working ▁as ▁staff ▁to ▁the ▁Fair ▁Emp loyment ▁Pract ices ▁Committee , ▁established ▁by ▁President ▁Franklin ▁D . ▁Ro ose vel t ▁by ▁Executive ▁Order ▁ 8 8 0 2 ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁to ▁over see ▁ending ▁disc rim ination ▁in ▁defense ▁indust ries ▁with ▁contract s ▁with ▁the ▁federal ▁government , ▁and ▁provide ▁fair ▁employ ment ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁all ▁Americans . ▁From ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁he ▁acted ▁as ▁" pr incipal ▁fair ▁practice ▁exam iner , ▁associate ▁director ▁of ▁field ▁operations , ▁and ▁director ▁of ▁field ▁operations " ▁in ▁the ▁Washington , ▁DC ▁area . ▁ ▁Based ▁on ▁that ▁experience , ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war ▁Mitchell ▁began ▁working ▁for ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 , ▁as ▁NA AC P ▁Labor ▁Secretary ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁Washington ▁Bureau , ▁serving ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 6 – 1 9 5 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁NA AC P ▁Washington ▁Bureau , ▁serving ▁ 1 9 5 1 – 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁Walter ▁White , ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁NA AC P , ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁Le ad ership ▁Conference ▁on ▁Civil ▁Rights , ▁a ▁coal ition ▁of