 The campaign first appeared in the African-American newspaper "Pittsburgh Courier" on February 7, 1942.Being the largest circulated black newspaper with around 350,000 copies circulated during the war; hence other black newspapers followed suit including the Chicago Defender and the Amsterdam Star News in embracing the motto and symbol of Double V. The slogan was prompted by a response to the letter, "Should I Sacrifice to Live 'Half American?written by 26-year-old reader James G. Thompson.