EISENHOWER ADMINISTRATION | manningcoldwar

The Little Rock 9

September 1957; on orders from the governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, the National Guard prevented nine black students from entering Little Rock Central High School. Faubus believed that doing so would "preserve the peace."

Elizabeth Eckford Little Rock 9

After being turned away from Arkansas Central High School by National Guardsmen, Elizabeth Eckford walks to the bus stop. She came to school alone and had to deal with the crowd of racist taunts on her own as well; 1957.

101st Airborne Troops

101st Airborne troops square off against citizens in Little Rock against the integration of Little Rock Central High School; September 1957.

The Little Rock 9

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St. Lawrence Seaway 1959

Joint project between the US (President Eisenhower) and Canada (Queen Elizabeth II).

Eisenhower and Oveta Culp Hobby

Oveta Culp Hobby--Director of the Women's Army Corps--is sworn in by President Eisenhower, as the secretary of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare; 1953.

St. Lawrence Seaway 1959

Joint project between the US (President Eisenhower) and Canada (Queen Elizabeth II).

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Eisenhower Interstate Highway System

Eight miles of US 40 Interstate Route No.1 in Kansas.

Fort Worth Texas

Image of four-level intersection I-20 and I-35 in Fort Worth Texas.

Interstate Highway System

Eisenhower Interstate Highway System

Eight miles of US 40 Interstate Route No.1 in Kansas.

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Interstate Highway Act of 1956

Established a 41,000 mile highway system. The project used enough concrete to build a sidewalk to the moon six times according to President Eisenhower himself. Establishing the highway system:

Made driving long distances faster and safer
Grew the economy
However, also facilitated the large movement of people away from the city.

Desegregation of the South

One of the more notable Civil Rights matters President Eisenhower was involved in, was Little Rock Nine in Little Rock, Arkansas. Governor of Little Rock, Orval Faubus, blocked any attempts at integrating Central High using the National Guard. Despite Eisenhower meeting with Faubus to negotiate allowing the African American students to enter Central High, Faubus simply withdrew the National Guard and allowed the Little Rock Nine to be mobbed. Eisenhower dispatched federal troops (101st Airborne Division of paratroopers) to neutralize the situation and enforce the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education Topeka in 1954.

President Eisenhower, after African-American activisit Martin Luther King Jr.'s continued efforts, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law. The act was a voting rights bill to combat obstacles that prevented African Americans from voting.

Modern Republicanism

Maintained individual freedoms in the market economy but government would still have some role in regulating the economy. President Eisenhower signed new legislation that:

Expanded Social Security
Increased minimum wage
Created Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Supported construction of low-income housing.

President Eisenhower also went on to secure congressional approval of amibitious and successful programs that focused on infrastructural improvement. Some of which included: