Eisenhower Administration Essay, Research Paper

What role did the Eisenhower administration play in Civil Rights?

During the 1950 s race relations in the United States began to explode and the domestic tranquility caused years of injustice for African Americans. Eisenhower, the current president, entered office committed to Civil Rights in principle, and he pushed the issue in areas of federal authority. During Eisenhower s early years of office the public services in Washington were desegregated. But, beyond these two ideas of the President s philosophy inhibited vigorous action in enforcing the principle of Civil Rights. The first was his preference for state or local action over federal involvement, and second his doubt that laws could change racial attitudes. One famous case during this time Brown vs. Board of Education. Chief Justice Earl Warren handed down the doctrine that separate but equal in schools has no place. A year later the Court directed a full start toward compliance with Warren s doctrine. Eisenhower refused to take any part in leading white southerners toward compliance. He felt the Court s decision set back progress at least fifteen years. Despite the fact Eisenhower wanted no part in desegregating schools, he did push for blacks the right to vote. He passed the first Civil Rights law passed since the Reconstruction. But, the irony of the situation showed that still in 1959 the Civil Rights Act still had not added a single southern black to voting rolls. Another incident that occurred during Eisenhower s Civil Rights role was the desegregation in Little Rock s Central High School. The principal called the National Guard in to prevent nine black students from entering after the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Eisenhower ordered paratroopers to protect the students and placed the National Guard on federal service the entire school year.