Pres. Eisenhower's State of the Union speeches: on Civil Rights


Segregation in federal activities is on the way out

During the year, creation of the new Cabinet Department of Health, Education, and Welfare symbolized the government's permanent concern with the human problems of our citizens.

Segregation in the armed forces and other Federal activities is on the way out. We have also made progress toward its elimination in the District of Columbia. These are steps in the continuing effort to eliminate inter-racial difficulty.

Source: Pres. Eisenhower's 1954 State of the Union message Jan 7, 1954

Segregation in federal activities is on the way out

During the year, creation of the new Cabinet Department of Health, Education, and Welfare symbolized the government's permanent concern with the human problems of our citizens.

Segregation in the armed forces and other Federal activities is on the way out. We have also made progress toward its elimination in the District of Columbia. These are steps in the continuing effort to eliminate inter-racial difficulty.

Source: Pres. Eisenhower's 1954 State of the Union message Jan 7, 1954

Create civil rights division in the Department of Justice

We have much reason to be proud of the progress our people are making in mutual understanding--the chief buttress of human and civil rights. Steadily we are moving closer to the goal of fair & equal treatment of citizens without regard to race or color. But unhappily much remains to be done. Last year the Administration recommended to the Congress a four-point program to reinforce civil rights. That program included:
  1. creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate asserted violations of civil rights and to make recommendations;
  2. creation of a civil rights division in the Department of Justice in charge of an Assistant Attorney General;
  3. enactment by the Congress of new laws to aid in the enforcement of voting rights; and
  4. amendment of the laws so as to permit the Federal Government to seek from the civil courts preventive relief in civil rights cases.
Source: Pres. Eisenhower's 1957 State of the Union message Jan 10, 1957

  • The above quotations are from Pres. Eisenhower's State of the Union messages to Congress, 1953-1960.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Civil Rights.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Dwight Eisenhower on Civil Rights.
2016 Presidential contenders on Civil Rights:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Feb 24, 2019