Presidents and African Americans Flashcards
Lincoln (pre-1865)
Emancipation proclamation, but only done to unite the country, not out of sympathy for slaves. GOOD.
Andrew Johnson (1865-69)
BAD. Tried to veto CR act of 1866. He had previously voted in the senate against anti-slavery legislation.
Ulysses Grant (1869-77)
GOOD/BAD .Accepted reconstruction policy, “do his best” for equality, didn’t actually do anything though.
Cleveland (1885-89 and then 1893-97)
BAD. Affirmed the rights of all Americans regardless of colour but favoured southern states so wasn’t too supportive. He didn’t question white supremacy.
T. Roosevelt (1901-09)
GOOD/BAD. Supported progressive movement but didn’t directly address civil rights. Invited Booker T to the white house.
Taft (1909-13)
BAD. Took little interest in civil rights, he believed in states rights.
Wilson (1913-21)
NEGATIVE. A segregationist who praised the KKK and rolled back progress. He oversaw segregation of multiple agencies of the federal government. Praised ‘A Birth of a Nation’.
Hoover (1929-33).
NEGATIVE. He saw black people as ‘sub-men’. Failed to recognise that laws were essential for any change. Purged black people from leadership positions in the South to please whites.
F.D. Roosevelt (1933-45)
GOOD AND BAD. His new deal was also called the Negro Runaround Act, the NRA payed blacks less than whites, sharecroppers weren’t included in Social Security Act or National Labour Relations Act, the New Deal improvements did little to help black people. He aimed to please the South to keep the vote there. HOWEVER, he reacted to Randolph’s demands for action on discrimination in employment and passed executive order 8802 in 1941 banning discrimination in employment in government or government contractors, this created the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC) enforcing it. The CCC that aimed to increase employment had a policy of no discimination.
Truman 1954-53
GOOD. in late 1946 he set up the president’s committee on civil rights, he said that change was not being made fast enough. Vowed to ‘end all evils’ after hearing about the beating of a black WW2 veteran. In 1948 he took risk in asking congress to support a federal rights package, including lynching, voting, permanent fair employment practices commission. Signed executive order 9981 in 1948 desegregating armed forces.
Eisenhower 1953-61
GOOD but also kinda bad. He was quite passive, he made a speech in 1956 outlining his wants to end segregation. Did try to improve voting rights. His government passed the 1957 CR act setting up a commission to investigate the prevention of voting for AAs and intended to prosecute voting discrimination. HOWEVER, he was passive, Congress passed the CR act, he acted slowly in Little Rock, failed to take initiative over Brown case.
Kennedy 1961-63
GOOD. Supported the Freedom Rides of 1961 and sent federal troops to support protestors. Supported James Meredith in his University of Mississippi campaign. Sent thousands of troops to Birmingham to end violence. Pushed for 1964 Civil Rights Act but was assassinated before it’s passing. He did struggle to make change with a still hard set racist south.
L.B Johnson 1963-69
GOOD. Pushed 1964 CRA through congress. Pushed for 1965 VRA. Pushed for 1968 CRA. Had a vision of a ‘great society’ which included more civil and voting rights. BUT, black people still in ghettos, Vietnam took focus away somewhat.
Nixon 1969-74.
MOSTLY BAD SOME GOOD. He thought there should be a pause to CR after the dramas. He told schools he would NOT withhold funding if they were slow to desegregate. He used the FBI to monitor AAs, had a low opinion of them and their potential. He appointed conservative SC judges who were opposed to desegregation. He opposed bussing. BUT, affirmative action.
Carter 1977-81.
Made 37 blacks federal judges. He lacked support to make much change.
Reagan 1881-89
NEGATIVE. Had opposed previous civil rights legislation, embarrassing to the south. Opposed welfare employment programs and reduced welfare funding. War on drugs.
Bush. 1989-
Supported Rodney King and vowed to help with police brutality. Not keen on affirmative action and bussing.
