Summary of Telephone Conversations Between President Eisenhower and Attorney General Herbert Brownell During the Little Rock Crisis (1957)

Date: September 24, 1957

Created By: Ann Whitman

Original or Replica: Original

Era: Civil Rights, The Presidency

Collection: Eisenhower Presidential Library

Citations: DDE’s Papers as President, DDE Diary Series, Box 27, Sept. 1957 Telephone Calls; NAID #17368366

September 24, 1957 — Telephone Calls (Document 1)

This summary records several telephone conversations involving President Eisenhower and Attorney General Herbert Brownell on the morning of September 24, shortly after Eisenhower issued a proclamation calling on those obstructing school integration in Little Rock to disperse. The conversations show the administration considering how to respond if the situation continued to deteriorate, including what Eisenhower should say publicly and whether federal troops or federalized National Guard units should be used. Eisenhower and his advisers also discuss the legal justification for federal intervention and the practical question of how quickly troops could reach Little Rock. The document provides insight into the discussions taking place within the administration as Eisenhower moved closer to using federal authority to enforce the court-ordered integration of Central High School.

September 25, 1957 — Telephone Calls (Document 2)

This summary records several of President Eisenhower’s telephone conversations on September 25 as his administration prepared to send federal troops to Little Rock. The document shows Eisenhower deciding to sign the order authorizing federal troops and discussing the decision with Attorney General Brownell and General Maxwell Taylor. Eisenhower was particularly concerned about how quickly forces could respond and approved sending regular Army units while preparing National Guard units to eventually replace them. The calls provide a behind-the-scenes look at Eisenhower’s involvement in carrying out the federal response as troops were prepared to enforce the integration of Central High School.