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EXECUTIVE BRANCH LIAISON OFFICE
FACT PAPER NO:79
THE WHITE HOUSE
March 27, 1957
THE ADMINISTRATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION
President Eisenhower, in his 1957 State of the Union Message reemphasized
that we in this nation have much reason to be gratified at the progress our
people are making in mutual understanding.
He reiterated that we are steadily moving closer to the goal of fair and
equal treatment of all citizens without regard to race or color. The
President observed, however, that "unhappily, much remains to be done.
As
a substantial step toward achieving this goal he urged passage of the
following:
I. Creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate asserted
violations of law in the field of civil rights, especially
involving the right to vote, and to make recommendations;
II. Creation of a civil rights division in the Department of
Justice in charge of a Presidentially appointed Assistant
Attorney General;
III.
Enactment by the Congress of new laws to aid in the enforce-
ment of voting rights;
IV. Amendment of the laws so as to permit the Federal Government
to seek from the civil courts preventive relief in civil
and Pean F
9
rights cases.
I. CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONS - In recommending originally in 1956 the
creation of a bipartisan civil rights commission, President Eisenhower said:
"It is disturbing that in some localities allegations persist that Negro
citizens are being deprived of their right to vote and are likewise being
subjected to unwarranted economic pressures. I recommend that the substance
of these charges be thoroughly examined by a bipartisan commission created by
the Congress."
Above and beyond the need for improving the legal remedies for dealing
with specific civil rights violations is the need for greater knowledge and
understanding of all of the complex problems involved. The bipartisan
Executive Commission would be a temporary body designed to obtain information
and not a continuing agency.
II. CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - At present the
Civil Rights Section of the Department of Justice is one of a number of
sections located within the Criminal Division. The protection of civil rights
guaranteed by the Constitution is a governmental responsibility of first
importance. More emphasis should be on civil lavi remedies, and the civil
rights enforcement activities of the Department of Justice should not,
therefore, be confined to the Criminal Division.
III. AMENDMENTS TO GIVE GREATER PROTECTION TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO
PROVIDE CIVIL REMEDIES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEIR ENFORCEMENT -
The right to vote is the one right, perhaps more than any other, upon which
all other constitutional rights depend for their effective protection.
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"ocrText": "EXECUTIVE BRANCH LIAISON OFFICE\nFACT PAPER NO:79\nTHE WHITE HOUSE\nMarch 27, 1957\nTHE ADMINISTRATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS LEGISLATION\nPresident Eisenhower, in his 1957 State of the Union Message reemphasized\nthat we in this nation have much reason to be gratified at the progress our\npeople are making in mutual understanding.\nHe reiterated that we are steadily moving closer to the goal of fair and\nequal treatment of all citizens without regard to race or color. The\nPresident observed, however, that \"unhappily, much remains to be done.\nAs\na substantial step toward achieving this goal he urged passage of the\nfollowing:\nI. Creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate asserted\nviolations of law in the field of civil rights, especially\ninvolving the right to vote, and to make recommendations;\nII. Creation of a civil rights division in the Department of\nJustice in charge of a Presidentially appointed Assistant\nAttorney General;\nIII.\nEnactment by the Congress of new laws to aid in the enforce-\nment of voting rights;\nIV. Amendment of the laws so as to permit the Federal Government\nto seek from the civil courts preventive relief in civil\nand Pean F\n9\nrights cases.\nI. CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSIONS - In recommending originally in 1956 the\ncreation of a bipartisan civil rights commission, President Eisenhower said:\n\"It is disturbing that in some localities allegations persist that Negro\ncitizens are being deprived of their right to vote and are likewise being\nsubjected to unwarranted economic pressures. I recommend that the substance\nof these charges be thoroughly examined by a bipartisan commission created by\nthe Congress.\"\nAbove and beyond the need for improving the legal remedies for dealing\nwith specific civil rights violations is the need for greater knowledge and\nunderstanding of all of the complex problems involved. The bipartisan\nExecutive Commission would be a temporary body designed to obtain information\nand not a continuing agency.\nII. CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE - At present the\nCivil Rights Section of the Department of Justice is one of a number of\nsections located within the Criminal Division. The protection of civil rights\nguaranteed by the Constitution is a governmental responsibility of first\nimportance. More emphasis should be on civil lavi remedies, and the civil\nrights enforcement activities of the Department of Justice should not,\ntherefore, be confined to the Criminal Division.\nIII. AMENDMENTS TO GIVE GREATER PROTECTION TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND TO\nPROVIDE CIVIL REMEDIES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR THEIR ENFORCEMENT -\nThe right to vote is the one right, perhaps more than any other, upon which\nall other constitutional rights depend for their effective protection."
}