The Butler Reflection: After watching “The Butler”, I learned about the presidential administrations of Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon. We learned how each affected the Gaines family and the civil rights movement. 1957 - The Eisenhower Administration Cecil goes to his new job to serve Dwight D. Eisenhower. He meets the other staff, including head butler Carter Wilson and co-worker James Holloway. Cecil brings tea to Eisenhower, who is meeting with Chief of Staff Sherman Adams and Attorney General Herbert Brownell. Eisenhower doesn’t want to send troops down south because he thinks it could start another Civil War. Cecil’s son Louis says he wants to go south but Cecil refuses to allow it. At the White House, Cecil speaks to Eisenhower, who is painting a portrait. He asks Cecil if he completed school, but Cecil replies that he grew up on a cotton farm. After a moment, someone comes in to speak to Eisenhower about the segregation in schools. This pushes Eisenhower to later send troops to Little Rock, Arkansas to execute federal law. Cecil was right when telling Louis that the president would help them get an education. In the next few scenes, Cecil and Gloria …show more content…
Louis is at a Black Panther rally, but he has a change of heart when he realizes he may not be prepared to kill anybody. He asks Carol if she ever really loved him, but she doesn 't reply. He leaves, and not long after, it is reported that a group of Black Panthers were killed. Louis is arrested (again), but is bailed out by Carter and Charlie. Charlie announces he is going off to Vietnam to fight in the war. Louis thinks it’s a bad idea and says he won 't attend his funeral. Charlie doesn 't seem to care. In 1974, amidst the Watergate scandal, Nixon speaks to Cecil, mentioning the talk of him possibly resigning, but Nixon refuses to give up