Which U.S. law created the original education and housing benefits associated with the G.I. Bill?

The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 created the original education and housing benefits associated with the G.I. Bill. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the law during World War II to help returning veterans readjust to civilian life.

The act provided support for education, unemployment, and loans for homes, farms, and businesses. Its education provisions enabled millions of veterans to attend colleges, universities, and vocational schools after the war.

The law is often simply called the G.I. Bill, although later legislation created newer versions of veterans’ education benefits. The original act was especially important because it broadened access to higher education and helped reshape the postwar American economy.

The bill did not benefit all veterans equally in practice. Racial discrimination and segregated institutions limited access for many Black veterans, while local administration affected how benefits were delivered. Thus, the law’s national promise and its uneven implementation are both important parts of its history.