What was so important about Eisenhower's response?
I think it important because it showed everyone that the federal government supported integration.
Eisenhower's response to what?
To integration: He sent some of the soldiers to Little Rock to protect the African-Americans while they graduated. Because the people would beat them if they did not.
I am assuming you are referring to President Dwight D. Eisenhower's response to the Little Rock Crisis in 1957. The Little Rock Crisis occurred when nine African American students were attempting to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. The state's governor, Orval Faubus, had ordered the National Guard to prevent the students from entering the school.
Eisenhower's response to the crisis was significant for several reasons. Firstly, he played a crucial role in enforcing the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared segregated schools unconstitutional. By sending federal troops, specifically the 101st Airborne Division, to Little Rock, Eisenhower demonstrated the federal government's commitment to enforcing civil rights and upholding the rule of law.
Secondly, Eisenhower's response had broader implications. It sent a clear message to the nation and the world that the federal government supported integration and would take necessary actions to protect the rights of African American students. This was particularly important during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and helped to advance the cause of desegregation across the country.
In addition, Eisenhower's response highlighted the power of the federal government to intervene in matters concerning civil rights, even when faced with opposition from state governments or local authorities. It set a precedent for future federal interventions in cases of racial discrimination, such as the desegregation of other schools and universities in the following years.
Overall, Eisenhower's response to the Little Rock Crisis was important because it demonstrated the federal government's commitment to integration, upheld the Supreme Court's ruling, and set a precedent for future civil rights actions.