The late 1950’s through the early 1960’s saw much change in government policies in regard to segregation. We grew as a nation it was necessary to bring an end to legal segregation. 1952 brought us a new President in Eisenhower who succeeded President Truman. His leadership style of governing was generally moderate and he believed in less government involvement in people’s lives domestically. He resisted the expansion of the Federal Government’s power, and he was very standoffish when the Supreme Court ordered school segregation. His administration also eliminated the Federal trusteeship of dozens of Indian tribes. As a moderate Republican, Eisenhower supported the continuation, and in some areas, the expansion of the “New Deal” programs. …show more content…
Board of Education in 1954 overturning the old rule of “separate but equal”, which was established under Plessey V. Ferguson in 1896. (Ch. 21) Eisenhower refused to endorse Brown; he had a preference for limited Federal intervention in what he considered states’ responsibilities. He was, however, forced to send in federal troops in 1957 to escort the “little rock nine” into school. Southern leaders were outraged; the 44 teachers who supported the “nine” lost their jobs. Eisenhower explained that he did what he did not to favor integration, but to obey the federal law. (Roark, P. 924) What set civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s apart from earlier acts of black protest was its widespread presence in the South, with a large number of people involved, their willingness to confront the white institutions directly and the use of non-violent protests and civil disobedience to bring about change. The arrest of Rosa Parks in December 1955 is probably the most famous example of this. The African Americans boycotted the bus system in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the Montgomery bus boycott lasted a full year. (Roark, p. 924) These were good tactics. Martin Luther King; a young Baptist minister with a doctorate from Boston University was a new leader with a captivating speaking talent. He made a great difference in the black movement with his courage and steadfastness while preaching non-violence. Protests continued until 1956 when the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Abraham’s law requiring bus segregation. African Americans “demonstrated they could sustain a lengthy protest and would not be