In the article I wrote about Dwight D. Eisenhower’s farewell address for Milestone Documents in American History, I made the  observation that Eisenhower’s presidency saw “very limited progress with respect to civil rights.” A cautionary tale: this comment needs revisiting. Last Christmas I visited Little Rock, Arkansas, and was exposed to the saga of what happened on September 23, 1957. On that day, nine African American students attempted to enter Central High School as part of Little Rock’s strategy to desegregate its public school system. The Arkansas governor Orvil Faubus, however, sought to deny these African Americans their right of entry–and education. President Eisenhower called in the 101st. Airborne Division, the Arkansas National Guard came under Washington authority, and Faubus capitulated.  Today, a half a century on, the “Little Rock Nine” testify to a celebration of courage, character, and commmitment. So Ike deserved better from me! This one action of his was, arguably, the single most important precursor to the civil rights advancement that took place in the America in the 1950s and 1960s.

Professor Scott A.G.M. Crawford, PhD, FRSA, is a tenured professor in the College of Education and Professional Studies at Eastern Illinois University. He is a Scottish New Zealander and from 199O-2005 served as the book review editor and then as associate editor of the International Journal of the History of Sport. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2004.