Father Hesburgh Civil Rights Commission

Father hesburgh together with martin luther king jr.

Father hesburgh civil rights commission. The commission was intended to terminate the south s filibuster which was blocking civil rights legislation especially that which regarded voting rights from passing and becoming law. Theodore hesburgh president of notre dame. Civil rights commission in 1957 and found him joining hands with martin luther king jr. Hesburgh emerged as a civil rights advocate and spokesperson for the commission.

In an appendix to the commission s annual report in 1959 hesburgh outlined his position on civil rights and equality. His passion for civil rights earned him a spot as a founding member of the u s. All comments are moderated and must be civil concise and constructive to the conversation. University of notre dame archives.

I think president nixon had no idea that father ted was gonna become one of his one of his most hard hitting. Civil rights commission in 1957 beginning fifteen years of service on the commission. Civil rights commission which hesburgh would. Racial discrimination had been repudiated but many felt that too many were coming illegally and refugee flows were frequent and unmanageable.

Although hesburgh had no previous experience as an activist supporting civil rights issues president eisenhower made him a member of the u s. Nixon fired hesburgh from the civil rights commission in 1972. The rally whose operating costs reached 25 000 opened with two hours of jazz gospel music and entertainment including a 5 000 voice choir led by gospel singer mahalia jackson. At a 1964 civil rights rally.

Father hesburgh was appointed by president dwight d. Eisenhower to the newly created civil rights commission in 1957. Father hesburgh s fifteen year tenure on the u s. From the exhausting fact finding missions to the final deliberations over wording father hesburgh was acknowledged as the principal architect of the civil rights act and served on the civil rights commission from its inception in 1957 until 1972 when president nixon replaced him after he criticized that administration s civil rights record.

I believe that civil rights were not created but only recognized. Many applauded nixon for ousting hesburgh but many more commended hesburgh for his commitment to civil rights and exceptional work on the commission. It was ike who would usher father hesburgh into the public spotlight by appointing the priest to various government panels most famously the u s. President jimmy carter in 1978 persuaded congress to join with him to appoint the select commission on immigration and refugee policy chaired by rev.