- Collection:
- Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century Information: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Title:
- Press release regarding Little Rock situation
- Creator:
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Date of Original:
- 1957-09-23
- Subject:
- Federal-state controversies--Arkansas
School integration--Arkansas--Little Rock
African American students--Arkansas--Little Rock
High school students--Arkansas--Little Rock
Segregation in education--Arkansas--Little Rock
Race riots--Arkansas--Little Rock
Violence--Arkansas--Little Rock
Race relations
Little Rock (Ark.)--Race relations--History--20th century
Central High School (Little Rock, Ark.)
Soldiers--United States
Presidents--United States
Intervention (Federal government)--Arkansas--Little Rock - People:
- Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
- Location:
- United States, Arkansas, Pulaski County, Little Rock, 34.74648, -92.28959
United States, Rhode Island, Newport County, Newport, 41.4901, -71.31283 - Medium:
- press releases
- Type:
- Text
- Description:
- Press release from September 23, 1957 in which President Dwight D. Eisenhower addresses the ongoing school integration crisis at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Eisenhower affirms the laws of the United States, pledges the government's full power to enforce the rulings of the federal courts, urges that a "sense of justice and fair play prevail," and expresses his confidence in the citizens of Little Rock and Arkansas to respect the law. The Little Rock school district voted to integrate its schools in 1957. Governor Faubus, opposed to integration, sent members of the Arkansas National Guard to prevent African American students--the "Little Rock Nine"--from entering Little Rock Central High School on September 4. Federal courts ordered Governor Faubus to remove the troops and permit the nine students to enter the school on September 23, 1957. However, because of the rioting that continued outside, the students were removed from the school after three hours. President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered troops from the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock to restore order and to protect the students. After a single year of integration, Governor Faubus closed the Little Rock public high schools to avoid further integration. The United States Supreme Court declared Faubus' action illegal and the public schools reopened August 1959.
The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata. - Metadata URL:
- http://presidentialtimeline.org/html/record.php?id=133
- Rights Holder:
- Rights Status: Unrestricted
- Original Collection:
- Collection: Papers of James C. Hagerty, Press Secretary to the President, 1953-1961, Series: Subject Files Series, Box Number: 6, Folder Title: Integration--Little Rock, 1957 (1).
- Contributing Institution:
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
- Rights:
-
