The 1957 Civil Rights Act

In 1956, President Eisenhower drew up a Civil Rights Bill. 1956 was an election year. Eisenhower needed the black vote. The bill aimed to make sure that all citizens could use their right to vote. In 1956 only 20% of blacks were registered to vote.

I am shocked that only 7,000 of Mississippi’s 900,000 black citizens are registered to vote. I am shocked that registrars are insisting that black citizens have to answer questions such as ‘How many bubbles in a bar of soap?’ in order to qualify to register for the vote.

The Democrats in Congress weakened the Bill.

When it passed, it did very little to help black Americans.

The Civil Rights Act, 1957 A national Civil Rights Commission was started. The Federal Justice Department would support Black Americans if they went to court because they could not vote freely.

How important was the ’57 Act? It was the first Civil Rights Act for 100 years. It showed that the Federal Government would no longer allow the southern states to do as they pleased. The problem of voter registration was not solved though.

Little Rock, 1957

It is Monday, May 17th 1954.

The Supreme Court of the United States decided that segregated schools were unconstitutional.

This was known as the Brown Decision.

It was met with resistance in the south.

Some southern states decided to ignore the Supreme Court.

Arkansas was such a state.

This man is Orville Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas.

He was opposed to integration.

This is the Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The events in this school in 1957 marked a further success for the Civil Rights Movement.

This is Elizabeth Eckford.

Elizabeth Eckford was one of 9 black students who tried to enrol in the school.

“If those nine kids enter that school, blood will run in the streets.”

Faubus used the Arkansas National Guard to stop the black students getting in.

“I’ll show you niggers that the Supreme Court cannot run my life.” “Lynch the niggers.” “Keep out of our school.”

Eisenhower and Faubus meet, but no agreement.

President Eisenhower was forced to act. I will send in Federal troops to protect the black children. The law must be enforced. We cannot allow this to happen in the USA; the Soviet Union, our enemies will gain great propaganda from these events.

The black children were escorted in. Eisenhower federalised the Arkansas National Guard. The black children were escorted in.

Faubus did not let it end. He used his power to close all schools in Little Rock. This school did not re-open until 1959.

Why was Little Rock significant? It showed that the Brown decision met with serious, strong resistance in the south. By 1964 only 2-3% of black children attended integrated schools. Media attention was significant – the sight of white southerners harassing and spitting at black children was brilliant propaganda for the NAACP.

Why was Little Rock significant? The Supreme Court continued to support and expand on the Brown Decision. Blacks realised that they would have to do more than rely on court decisions. The Federal Government was forced to act; it did not choose to act.