Executive Order 10730: Desegregation of Central High School (1957)
Overview
- Date Issued: September 23, 1957
- Signed by: President Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Purpose: To send federal troops to maintain order during the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Background
- Legal Context:
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954) ruling declared segregated schools "inherently unequal."
- Ordered desegregation of U.S. public schools.
- Arkansas Compliance:
- Arkansas law school desegregated since 1949.
- Seven out of eight state universities desegregated.
- Desegregated public buses, zoo, library, and parks.
Little Rock Crisis
- Desegregation Plan:
- Little Rock planned to start with high school desegregation in 1957, followed by junior high and elementary schools.
- Little Rock Nine:
- Nine Black students enrolled at Central High School.
Conflict
- Governor Orval Faubus' Actions:
- Called the National Guard to prevent Black students from entering the school, claiming to preserve order.
- On September 4, the students were denied entry by the National Guard.
- Federal Intervention:
- President Eisenhower met with Governor Faubus, who agreed to respect the desegregation order but later withdrew the National Guard.
- Escalating violence led to a request for federal assistance.
Executive Order 10730
- Federal Action:
- Placed Arkansas National Guard under federal control.
- Deployed 1,000 U.S. Army paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division to restore order.
Provisions of the Executive Order
- Authorization:
- Secretary of Defense directed to use National Guard and Air National Guard units in Arkansas.
- Enforcement of U.S. District Court orders regarding school desegregation.
- Use of armed forces if necessary.
Educational Resources
- Teaching Tools:
- Document available on DocsTeach for educational activities.
Significance
- Civil Rights Movement:
- Marked a pivotal moment in federal enforcement of desegregation.
- Demonstrated the federal government’s commitment to uphold constitutional rights against state resistance.
Additional Information
- Contact and Resources:
- Various resources and contact information available through the National Archives.
These notes summarize the key points of Executive Order 10730 and the events surrounding the desegregation crisis at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The order was a crucial step in the federal government’s role in the Civil Rights Movement and the enforcement of desegregation laws.