Press release issued on September 23, 1957 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in which he orders an end to mob protests against the court-ordered integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The first page of the document contains the text of Eisenhower's proclamation; the second page includes portions of the code that authorizes the president to make these orders. 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.

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).

Rights Status: Unrestricted

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Forms part of: Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century.