Eisenhower’s Domestic Eisenhower’s Domestic PoliciesPolicies

Dwight D. Dwight D. EisenhowerEisenhower

1890 – 19691890 – 1969 3434thth President (1953- President (1953-

61)61) RepublicanRepublican Went by “Ike”Went by “Ike” Hero of WWII, Supreme Hero of WWII, Supreme

Commander of Allied Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, Forces in Europe, Organized the D-Day Organized the D-Day InvasionInvasion

Had never held an Had never held an elected office before elected office before becoming presidentbecoming president

““Dynamic Dynamic Conservatism”Conservatism”

Eisenhower attempted Eisenhower attempted to be conservative with to be conservative with government spending government spending while still supporting while still supporting dynamic programs dynamic programs designed to help the designed to help the poorpoor

Ike curtailed military Ike curtailed military spending by building spending by building more nuclear weapons more nuclear weapons (He called them “more (He called them “more bang for the buck”)bang for the buck”)

Extended many of Extended many of FDR’s New Deal FDR’s New Deal programs to help the programs to help the disadvantageddisadvantaged

The Warren CourtThe Warren Court Eisenhower appointed Eisenhower appointed

Earl Warren as Chief Earl Warren as Chief Justice of the Supreme Justice of the Supreme Court in 1953Court in 1953

Warren would remain Warren would remain the head of the Court the head of the Court until his retirement in until his retirement in 19691969

The Warren Court would The Warren Court would hand down some of the hand down some of the most important most important decisions of the 20decisions of the 20thth Century (See “The Century (See “The Warren Court” Handout)Warren Court” Handout)

Brown v Board of Education Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, KSof Topeka, KS

19541954 Supreme Court Supreme Court

overturned overturned Plessy v. Plessy v. FergusonFerguson, rejecting , rejecting the idea that racially the idea that racially segregated schools segregated schools could offer equal could offer equal servicesservices

Court ordered the Court ordered the desegregation of desegregation of public schools “with public schools “with all deliberate speed”all deliberate speed”

Thurgood Thurgood MarshallMarshall 1908 – 19931908 – 1993

Brown v BOE decision Brown v BOE decision vaulted Marshall to the vaulted Marshall to the forefront of civil rights forefront of civil rights lawyerslawyers

Marshall had been Marshall had been Chief Counsel for the Chief Counsel for the NAACP since the NAACP since the 1940s, until being 1940s, until being appointed as federal appointed as federal judge in 1961, and judge in 1961, and eventually became the eventually became the first African-American first African-American on the Supreme Court on the Supreme Court in 1967in 1967

Southern Southern ManifestoManifesto

The Brown decision The Brown decision angered many white angered many white Southerners and in Southerners and in 1956, over 100 1956, over 100 Southern members of Southern members of Congress signed the Congress signed the “Southern Manifesto” “Southern Manifesto” declaring the Court’s declaring the Court’s decision to be “abuse decision to be “abuse of judicial power” and of judicial power” and pledging to support pledging to support segregation through segregation through every legal avenue every legal avenue availableavailable

Rosa ParksRosa Parks 1913 – 20051913 – 2005 Civil rights activist Civil rights activist

even before her even before her famous refusal to give famous refusal to give up her bus seat on up her bus seat on Dec. 1, 1955Dec. 1, 1955

Parks was arrested for Parks was arrested for violating the city of violating the city of Birmingham, AL Birmingham, AL segregation laws segregation laws which required that which required that blacks surrender their blacks surrender their seats if necessary to seats if necessary to accommodate white accommodate white passengerspassengers

Montgomery Bus Montgomery Bus BoycottBoycott

In response to Parks’ In response to Parks’ arrest, black leaders arrest, black leaders organized a boycott of the organized a boycott of the Birmingham public Birmingham public transportation systemtransportation system

Over 75% of the bus Over 75% of the bus system’s riders were black, system’s riders were black, so the boycott seriously so the boycott seriously damaged revenuesdamaged revenues

The boycott lasted for over The boycott lasted for over a year, until Parks’ case a year, until Parks’ case was resolved when the was resolved when the Supreme Court declared Supreme Court declared the Birmingham the Birmingham segregation law segregation law unconstitutionalunconstitutional

Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Jr.

1929 – 19681929 – 1968 As a young minister, As a young minister,

King was chosen to King was chosen to organize the organize the Birmingham bus Birmingham bus boycott and chose to boycott and chose to do so using only non-do so using only non-violent means of violent means of protestprotest

The success of the The success of the boycott propelled him boycott propelled him and his technique of and his technique of “civil disobedience” to “civil disobedience” to national famenational fame

SSouthern outhern CChristian hristian LLeadership eadership CConference onference

(SCLC)(SCLC) Created in 1957Created in 1957 Civil rights Civil rights

organization organization composed of mainly composed of mainly Southern African-Southern African-American ministers American ministers which worked to end which worked to end segregation and to segregation and to encourage blacks to encourage blacks to register to voteregister to vote

First president was Dr. First president was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.

Eisenhower’s Eisenhower’s ReactionReaction

President Eisenhower President Eisenhower supported civil rights, but supported civil rights, but believed that racism and believed that racism and segregation would have segregation would have to end gradually, stating to end gradually, stating “I don’t believe you can “I don’t believe you can change the hearts of men change the hearts of men with laws or [court] with laws or [court] decisions”decisions”

Still, once the Supreme Still, once the Supreme Court ordered schools Court ordered schools desegregated, desegregated, Eisenhower felt obligated Eisenhower felt obligated as President to enforce as President to enforce that decisionthat decision

The Little Rock The Little Rock NineNine

Sept. 1957Sept. 1957 Arkansas Gov. Orval Arkansas Gov. Orval

Faubus ordered the Faubus ordered the National Guard to block 9 National Guard to block 9 black students from black students from enrolling at the all-white enrolling at the all-white Little Rock Central High Little Rock Central High School and later simply School and later simply relied on white mobs to relied on white mobs to intimidate the studentsintimidate the students

Eisenhower ordered the US Eisenhower ordered the US Army to protect the black Army to protect the black students , sending 1000 students , sending 1000 soldiers to encircle the soldiers to encircle the school and allow the school and allow the students to register; the students to register; the soldiers stayed for the rest soldiers stayed for the rest of the school yearof the school year

Civil Rights Act of Civil Rights Act of 19571957

Designed to protect Designed to protect black’s right to voteblack’s right to vote

Created a civil rights Created a civil rights division within the division within the Dept. of Justice and Dept. of Justice and the US Commission the US Commission on Civil Rights to on Civil Rights to investigate and investigate and prosecute prosecute allegations of voting allegations of voting violationsviolations

Greensboro Sit-inGreensboro Sit-in Feb. 1960Feb. 1960 4 students at NC A&T in 4 students at NC A&T in

Greensboro, NC sat down at Greensboro, NC sat down at the racially segregated the racially segregated lunch counter at lunch counter at Woolworth’s and demanded Woolworth’s and demanded service, refusing to leave service, refusing to leave when they were denied; when they were denied; over the next few days, the over the next few days, the number of students involved number of students involved grew and the sit-ins spread grew and the sit-ins spread throughout the state, throughout the state, gaining national attentiongaining national attention

By summer, Woolworth’s By summer, Woolworth’s relented and desegregated relented and desegregated their lunch counterstheir lunch counters

Jesse JacksonJesse Jackson 1941 – Present1941 – Present Student at NC A&T Student at NC A&T

who was inspired by who was inspired by the sit-ins and went the sit-ins and went on to become a on to become a major, if often major, if often controversial, civil controversial, civil rights leader and rights leader and later candidate for later candidate for President in the President in the 1980s1980s

SStudent tudent NNon-violent on-violent CCoordinating oordinating CCommittee ommittee

(SNCC)(SNCC) Executive director of the Executive director of the

SCLC, Ella Baker, held a SCLC, Ella Baker, held a convention at Shaw convention at Shaw University in April 1960 to University in April 1960 to help students organize help students organize themselves into the SNCC, a themselves into the SNCC, a student-led civil rights student-led civil rights organization dedicated to organization dedicated to continuing the successes of continuing the successes of non-violent protest and to non-violent protest and to encouraging rural Southern encouraging rural Southern blacks to register to voteblacks to register to vote

In 1964, 3 SNCC members In 1964, 3 SNCC members were murdered in Mississippi were murdered in Mississippi while attempting to register while attempting to register black votersblack voters

TelevisionTelevision Introduced just before Introduced just before

WWII, by 1957, over WWII, by 1957, over 40 million televisions 40 million televisions were in use in the USwere in use in the US

TV quickly became TV quickly became Americans’ primary Americans’ primary means of receiving means of receiving information, whether information, whether it was the news, the it was the news, the latest fads and latest fads and fashions, or what new fashions, or what new products were products were available for purchaseavailable for purchase

““I Love Lucy”I Love Lucy”

““The Honeymooners”The Honeymooners”

““Gunsmoke”Gunsmoke”

Live Sporting Live Sporting EventsEvents

Game ShowsGame Shows

Variety ShowsVariety Shows

MoviesMovies Facing the stiff Facing the stiff

competition from competition from television, Hollywood television, Hollywood was forced to adaptwas forced to adapt

Introduced 3-D movies Introduced 3-D movies in the 1952in the 1952

Introduced Introduced Cinemascope (a special Cinemascope (a special projection system which projection system which required a large, curved required a large, curved screen) to make the screen) to make the movie-going experience movie-going experience “grander” than “grander” than watching TVwatching TV

Rock-n-rollRock-n-roll Bill Haley and the Comets Bill Haley and the Comets

are usually credited with are usually credited with having the first #1 rock having the first #1 rock hit with “Rock Around the hit with “Rock Around the Clock” in 1955Clock” in 1955

Rock-n-roll originated as a Rock-n-roll originated as a fusion of African-American fusion of African-American based Rhythm & Blues based Rhythm & Blues with jazz and country with jazz and country music influencesmusic influences

The sound caught on with The sound caught on with teens, but was widely teens, but was widely considered “immoral” and considered “immoral” and too sexual by the older too sexual by the older generationgeneration

Elvis PresleyElvis Presley 1935 – 19771935 – 1977 ““The King of Rock and The King of Rock and

Roll”Roll” Had his first major hit Had his first major hit

record, “Heartbreak record, “Heartbreak Hotel,” and film “Love Hotel,” and film “Love Me Tender” in 1956Me Tender” in 1956

Recorded over 100 Recorded over 100 Top 40 hits in his 20 Top 40 hits in his 20 year career before year career before dying of drug-related dying of drug-related heart failureheart failure

The Beat The Beat GenerationGeneration

Group of writers who Group of writers who criticized the criticized the meaningless meaningless conformity of American conformity of American life in the 1950s and life in the 1950s and encouraged young encouraged young people to experience people to experience new artistic forms, and new artistic forms, and engage ain engage ain experimentation with experimentation with drugs and sexdrugs and sex

Needless to say, they Needless to say, they were considered were considered shocking and obscene shocking and obscene to mainstream to mainstream American societyAmerican society

Allen GinsbergAllen Ginsberg 1926 – 19971926 – 1997 Poet; most famous Poet; most famous

work is work is HowlHowl Shocked readers with Shocked readers with

his depictions of his depictions of homosexual acts and homosexual acts and drug usedrug use

Ginsberg was Ginsberg was essentially everything essentially everything that mainstream that mainstream America was not – a America was not – a bisexual, communist bisexual, communist Buddhist who Buddhist who endorsed the use of endorsed the use of LSD and marijuanaLSD and marijuana

Jack KerouacJack Kerouac 1922 – 19691922 – 1969 Wrote on a wide variety of Wrote on a wide variety of

topics, often spontaneously topics, often spontaneously deciding what his next topic deciding what his next topic would bewould be

A writer of many personal A writer of many personal contradictions – he was contradictions – he was Catholic and anti-Catholic and anti-communist, but freely used communist, but freely used marijuana and supported marijuana and supported homosexuals and other homosexuals and other marginalized minoritiesmarginalized minorities

Most famous work is the Most famous work is the novel novel On the RoadOn the Road

Died from complications Died from complications from alcoholismfrom alcoholism

Alaska & HawaiiAlaska & HawaiiIn 1959, In 1959,

Eisenhower Eisenhower oversaw the oversaw the admission of admission of Alaska and Alaska and Hawaii as the Hawaii as the 4949thth and 50 and 50thth states in the states in the UnionUnion

The Military-Industrial The Military-Industrial ComplexComplex

In Eisenhower’s Farewell In Eisenhower’s Farewell Address, he warned against Address, he warned against unchecked military unchecked military spending, stating “we must spending, stating “we must guard against the acquisition guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial by the military-industrial complex”complex”

Essentially, Eisenhower was Essentially, Eisenhower was warning that defense warning that defense contractors were becoming contractors were becoming too friendly with the military too friendly with the military high command, creating a high command, creating a conflict of interest where conflict of interest where their profits were more their profits were more important than what was in important than what was in the best interests of the the best interests of the nation nation

Election of 1960Election of 1960 Republicans nominated Republicans nominated

Eisenhower’s Vice-Eisenhower’s Vice-President, Richard NixonPresident, Richard Nixon

Democrats nominated Democrats nominated Massachusetts Senator Massachusetts Senator John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy

Election featured the first Election featured the first televised presidential televised presidential debates and it was the first debates and it was the first time television was used time television was used as a serious campaign toolas a serious campaign tool

Kennedy won in a tight Kennedy won in a tight election, in some ways due election, in some ways due to his better manipulation to his better manipulation of televisionof television