Under Construction @ Keele 2017 Under Construction @ Keele Vol. III (3) | Page 52

Wallace attempted to prevent African-American students from attending the
University of Alabama. 47 In both instances, Sorensen and Schlesinger again
presented Kennedy as a strong supporter of civil rights, regardless of the
consequences.
Before Meredith successfully enrolled, riots broke out and Kennedy was
forced to federalise the Mississippi National Guard. Two people were killed and
many more were injured. Despite this, Sorensen claimed Kennedy had found a
‘favorable resolution’ that emboldened ‘the principle of equal rights and the sanctity
of law’. 48 Schlesinger went further, arguing Kennedy's actions committed the country
to civil rights and inspired oppressed people of colour across the world. 49 Although
neither author ignored the tragedy of the violence, the bold claims that civil rights
were strengthened and America became committed to the movement arguably
under-emphasise Kennedy’s defiance of public opinion on civil rights legislation
which Sorensen and Schlesinger also unanimously praised.
The authors made similar claims about Kennedy’s leadership during the
desegregation of the University of Alabama. Sorensen praised Kennedy as the
President who made a university education for African-Americans a reality because
Alabama was the only state still segregating all of its campuses. 50 This emphasised
the historic significance of Kennedy’s support for African-Americans because it
enshrined him as the president who removed a significant barrier preventing racial
equality. Sorensen presented Kennedy as reasonable because he ‘advised’ Wallace
‘to stay away from the campus’, a recommendation the governor ultimately ignored,
which forced Kennedy to federalise the Alabama National Guard. 51 Schlesinger went
further than Sorensen and argued Kennedy not only allowed African-Americans in a
heavily segregated state to attend university but also prevented a constitutional
crisis. This was because Alabama appeared to be heading ‘down the road to
nullification’ after Wallace attempted to prevent African-American students from
enrolling. 52 Unlike Sorensen, Schlesinger believed Kennedy had ‘instructed
Governor Wallace not to try and stop’ desegregation. 53 This arguably increased the
Hilty, Robert Kennedy, 340-344, 366-367.
Sorensen, Kennedy, 483.
49
Schlesinger, A Thousand Days, 809.
50
Sorensen, Kennedy, 492-493.
51
Ibid., 492-493.
52
Schlesinger, A Thousand Days, 821.
53
Ibid., 821.
47
48