To what extent was the presidency of Dwight Eisenhower the most important turning point in the
achievement of African American Civil Rights in the period 1865 to 1992?
Dwight Eisenhower attempted to improve the civil rights for African American’s including social,
political, educational and economic rights that whites were entitled to; however he was far less
supportive of civil rights than Truman was. This shows that initially Eisenhower could be less
successful in achieving African American Civil Rights in his presidency than Truman. Despite this
initial view of Eisenhower, he did make some successful decisions that helped African American’s in
their civil rights, especially education rights. Brown vs Board of Education 1954 was a real turning
point for education rights for African American’s during Eisenhower’s presidency, where a student
from Kansas that had to attend an all- black school over a mile from her even though there was an
all-white one nearer. Thurgood Marshall argued that school segregation was against the 14 th
Amendment; however Eisenhower appointed Warren that claimed school segregation was
unconstitutional, which left Eisenhower dismayed. The final result of the case was that
desegregation had to occur within schools, showing that Eisenhower did positively contribute to the
education rights of African American’s. Despite this positive outcome, there was no specific date in
which this desegregation had to occur by, showing that Eisenhower didn’t completely make a
turning point in terms of education rights for African American Civil Rights in his presidency.
Politically, Eisenhower did really help African American’s be able to use their vote in the Civil Rights
Act 1957 that ensured all citizens were able to exercise their vote and the Civil Rights Act 1960 that
made it a crime to obstruct black votes. These acts that Eisenhower created did definitely give
African American’s political rights; however both of these acts were deflated by Southern
Congressmen, that didn’t want African American’s to have any civil rights. In terms of political rights,
Eisenhower really did attempt to make a turning point for African American’s but he didn’t
completely succeed as Southern Congressmen deterred his attempts at trying to gain political rights
for African American’s. In terms of economic rights, Eisenhower didn’t really do that much to help
African American’s as much specifically economically as he did politically or educationally, however it
can be seen that by aiding educational rights for them, he was initially helping their economic rights
due to the fact that by giving blacks a better education, to then be able to get a good job in the
future. During Eisenhower’s presidency, one of the biggest turning points in history occurred with
the Montgomery Bus Boycott event in 1955. On buses, it was set that whites sat at the front of the
bus whilst blacks sat at the back, and if more whites got on the bus, then the blacks had to stand up.
Rosa Parks challenged this rule by refusing to stand up for a white person, where she was later
arrested for this. Although she was arrested, this made bus boycott’s much more popular and
encouraged blacks to campaign for their civil rights, especially social rights. Overall, Dwight
Eisenhower did definitely aim to help African American’s gain civil rights, especially in the political
and educational areas; however this was ruined by opposition of the Southern Congressmen,
showing that he wasn’t completely successful in creating a turning point in achieving any African
American Civil Rights during his presidency.
Unlike Eisenhower, Truman was more supportive of achieving African American Civil Rights, which
instantly shows that Truman may have been keener than Eisenhower to create a turning point for
African American’s in terms of their rights. Truman did lots of things to improve the situation for
African American’s like desegregating Washington airport, appointing a black judge and
desegregating armed forces in the Executive Order 9981. Just these little actions definitely shows
that Truman was starting to attempt to achieve social and political rights for the African American’s.
achievement of African American Civil Rights in the period 1865 to 1992?
Dwight Eisenhower attempted to improve the civil rights for African American’s including social,
political, educational and economic rights that whites were entitled to; however he was far less
supportive of civil rights than Truman was. This shows that initially Eisenhower could be less
successful in achieving African American Civil Rights in his presidency than Truman. Despite this
initial view of Eisenhower, he did make some successful decisions that helped African American’s in
their civil rights, especially education rights. Brown vs Board of Education 1954 was a real turning
point for education rights for African American’s during Eisenhower’s presidency, where a student
from Kansas that had to attend an all- black school over a mile from her even though there was an
all-white one nearer. Thurgood Marshall argued that school segregation was against the 14 th
Amendment; however Eisenhower appointed Warren that claimed school segregation was
unconstitutional, which left Eisenhower dismayed. The final result of the case was that
desegregation had to occur within schools, showing that Eisenhower did positively contribute to the
education rights of African American’s. Despite this positive outcome, there was no specific date in
which this desegregation had to occur by, showing that Eisenhower didn’t completely make a
turning point in terms of education rights for African American Civil Rights in his presidency.
Politically, Eisenhower did really help African American’s be able to use their vote in the Civil Rights
Act 1957 that ensured all citizens were able to exercise their vote and the Civil Rights Act 1960 that
made it a crime to obstruct black votes. These acts that Eisenhower created did definitely give
African American’s political rights; however both of these acts were deflated by Southern
Congressmen, that didn’t want African American’s to have any civil rights. In terms of political rights,
Eisenhower really did attempt to make a turning point for African American’s but he didn’t
completely succeed as Southern Congressmen deterred his attempts at trying to gain political rights
for African American’s. In terms of economic rights, Eisenhower didn’t really do that much to help
African American’s as much specifically economically as he did politically or educationally, however it
can be seen that by aiding educational rights for them, he was initially helping their economic rights
due to the fact that by giving blacks a better education, to then be able to get a good job in the
future. During Eisenhower’s presidency, one of the biggest turning points in history occurred with
the Montgomery Bus Boycott event in 1955. On buses, it was set that whites sat at the front of the
bus whilst blacks sat at the back, and if more whites got on the bus, then the blacks had to stand up.
Rosa Parks challenged this rule by refusing to stand up for a white person, where she was later
arrested for this. Although she was arrested, this made bus boycott’s much more popular and
encouraged blacks to campaign for their civil rights, especially social rights. Overall, Dwight
Eisenhower did definitely aim to help African American’s gain civil rights, especially in the political
and educational areas; however this was ruined by opposition of the Southern Congressmen,
showing that he wasn’t completely successful in creating a turning point in achieving any African
American Civil Rights during his presidency.
Unlike Eisenhower, Truman was more supportive of achieving African American Civil Rights, which
instantly shows that Truman may have been keener than Eisenhower to create a turning point for
African American’s in terms of their rights. Truman did lots of things to improve the situation for
African American’s like desegregating Washington airport, appointing a black judge and
desegregating armed forces in the Executive Order 9981. Just these little actions definitely shows
that Truman was starting to attempt to achieve social and political rights for the African American’s.
