How Did African Americans Affect The Civil Rights Movement

Presidents in the Civil Rights Movements
Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, and Johnson all had opinions on Civil Rights and racism. Explain each man’s opinion as well as what they did in their role as president (or presidential candidate in Nixon’s case) to help or hurt the Civil Rights Movement. Former United States Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon all served during the Civil Rights Movements. They all had different opinions and went about it in their respective ways. Some helped, and others hurt the movement. All in all, they all contributed in this historic fight for racial equality. President Harry Truman wanted to end segregation. He was horrified when he heard about African American veterans being lynched at home. Truman commissioned a report called “To Secure These Rights.” He also
attempted to end it in the federal civil service and the armed forces.
However, congress did not pass it, and segregation continued. President Eisenhower was Truman’s successor. He shied away from this movement. He did not really help or hurt it. When he served, the Supreme Court did most of the work towards equality. They stopped segregation in public schools and declared segregation unconstitutional. Eisenhower was still scared to act upon the Civil rights movement. However, he sent the national guard to protect the first black students to travel to their classes in a mainly white school. Eisenhower grew up in a segregated childhood. He believed to keep the armed forces to stay segregated, and he believed that the decision of the Brown v. Board of Education sent America back a generation in terms of social equality. President John F. Kennedy came into office in 1960. He
personally wanted equality, as he campaigned with a strong appeal to African Americans. However, he needed support from southern legislators so he did not make bold moves for racial equality. He believed that his moves would benefit African Americans in the long run but not immediately. When a mob of whites attacked the Freedom Riders, President Kennedy and his administration joined the civil rights movement. He sent troops to protect the Freedom Riders. The administration teamed up with Martin Luther King, Jr and other civil rights groups and formed the Voter Education Project, which registered the South's’ historically disfranchised blacks. When Kennedy was assassinated, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson came into office. He promised to continue his predecessor’s plan. He was pro equality, and he helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 finally. This act banned segregation in almost every private facility open to the public. This act also helped end segregation in schools and other public areas. Another addition of this act banned employers from discriminating employees based on race or national origin. As president, Johnson selected Robert C. Weaver to cabinet secretary. Weaver was the first African American ever selected to be a cabinet secretary. One year later, Johnson helped pass the Voting Rights Act of 1965. This law banned literacy tests and any other form of exam that African Americans had to pass to be able to vote. Only a very small percentage of African Americans could vote before this act was passed. President Johnson and his administration was the hardest working group for civil rights since President Abraham Lincoln. PRESIDENT NIXON
Every single President contributed in some way for the Civil Rights Movement. Some were more involved than others, and most helped the movement. During this time frame, these presidents and their administrations helped end segregation and fight towards full equality for African Americans and their future generations.