Civil Rights Act of 1957
Background:
On September 9, 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Originally proposed by Attorney General Herbert Brownell, the Act marked the first occasion since Reconstruction that the federal government undertook significant legislative action to protect civil rights. Although influential southern congressman whittled down the bill's initial scope, it still included a number of important provisions for the protection of voting rights. It established the Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department, and empowered federal officials to prosecute individuals that conspired to deny or abridge another citizen's right to vote. Moreover, it also created a six-member U.S. Civil Rights Commission charged with investigating allegations of voter infringement. But, perhaps most importantly, the Civil Rights Act of 1957 signaled a growing federal commitment to the cause of civil rights.
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Archival Collections and Reference Resources
- Basil Lee Whitener papers, 1889-1968 (Duke University Libraries)
- Freedom summer digital collection (Wisconsin Historical Society)
- Allen--Freedom School mimeo materials 1963-64 (Pamela P. Allen papers, 1967-1974; Archives Main Stacks, M85-013, Folder 1) (press releases)
- Bowie--Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (Harry J. Bowie papers, 1964-1967; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 31 & Micro 928 (P82-2479), Box 2, Folder 3) (reports)
- CORE--Freedom Day, Canton, March 13, 1964 (Congress of Racial Equality. Mississippi 4th Congressional District records, 1961-1966; Historical Society Library Microforms Room, Micro 793, Reel 2, Segment 35) (reports)
- CORE--Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party - Memoranda and reports, 1964-1966 (Congress of Racial Equality. Mississippi 4th Congressional District records, 1961-1966; Historical Society Library Microforms Room, Micro 793, Reels 2-3, Segment 37) (reports)
- Lipsky--Pamphlets and articles, Mississippi (Michael Lipsky and David J. Olson Papers, 1935-1981; Z: Accessions, M96-024, Box 1, Folder 4) (pamphlets)
- Lynd--Printed material, February 1963-October 1965 & undated (Staughton and Alice Lynd papers 1938-2008; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 395, Box 5, Folder 1) (press releases)
- Lynd--Printed material, February 1963-October 1965 & undated (Staughton and Alice Lynd papers 1938-2008; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 395, Box 5, Folder 2) (press releases)
- Lynd--Printed material, February 1963-October 1965 & undated (Staughton and Alice Lynd papers 1938-2008; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 395, Box 5, Folder 3) (press releases)
- Montgomery--Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) (Lucile Montgomery papers, 1963-1967; Historical Society Library Microforms Room, Micro 44, Reel 1, Segment 3) (reports)
- Robinson--Freedom School materials (Jo Ann Ooiman Robinson papers, 1960-1966; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 191, Box 1, Folder 6) (periodicals)
- SAVF-Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) papers (Social Action vertical file, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 16, Folder 9) (correspondence)
- SAVF-Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party papers (Social Action Vertical File, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 29, Folder 16) (pamphlets)
- SAVF-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) (Social Action vertical file, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 47, Folder 12) (flyers)
- SAVF-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) (Social Action vertical file, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 47, Folder 3) (reports)
- SAVF-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) (Social Action vertical file, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 47, Folder 7) (memorandums)
- SAVF-Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) (Social Action vertical file, circa 1930-2002; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 577, Box 48, Folder 2) (flyers)
- Shirah--Civil rights material, 1961-1964, undated (Samuel C. Shirah, Jr., papers, 1961-1964; Archives Main Stacks, Mss 540, Box 1, Folder 2) (reports)
- Werner--COFO and SNCC pamphlets, newspaper clippings, conference proceedings, and press releases, 1963-1965 (Hank Werner papers; Z: Accessions, M71-358, Box 2, Folder 6) (pamphlets)
- Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century Information: Dwight D. Eisenhower (Dwight D. Eisenhower Library)
- Series 2515 : Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission Records Online, 1994-2006, Folders (Mississippi Department of Archives and History)