1957 civil rights act (29th august 1957)

key features

- 29th august 1957 - Civil rights act sets up a civil rights commission and gives federal justice department more rights to supervise voter registration. - Signed by Eisenhower. Shows how, despite being a republican, Eisenhower did show some evidence of enforcing law on civil rights and had a desire to minimize racial tensions.

Achievements

- It established the civil rights division in the justice department and empowered federal officials to prosecute individuals that conspired to deny or abridge citizens right to vote. - It also created the six-member U.S civil rights commission charged with investigating allegations of voter infringement. - It signalled a growing federal commitment to the cause of civil rights

significance

- The act marked the first occasion since reconstruction that the fed govt. undertook significant legislative action to protect civil rights. The bill was signed just a week before the 'Little rock nine' events took place in Little Rock, AR on Sept 3rd 1957.

Limitations

- legislation did not go far enough, and many influential southern congressmen strongly opposed the bill. - Many other pieces of legislation were needed, following the ratification of this act, demonstrating how this simply did not go far enough and racial tensions did not decrease, nor did voting numbers increase. - Following the legislation, the percentage of African Americans registered to vote in the South was less than 20%. This only radically increased to above 40% after the voting act in 1965. Only specific to combatting voter fraud and did not focus on desegregation etc. Example of de facto change.