An American army general, statesman, and 34th President of the United States of America, Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 - March 28, 1969) was born in Denison, Texas and was the last president to be born during the 19th century. Eisenhower described his presidential approach as "dynamic conservatism," taking conservative measures in regards to the economy and more liberal ones when it came to social issues. Throughout his presidency, he continued all of Roosevelt's New Deal programs, signed the bill that authorized the Interstate Highway System, and supported space exploration.
In regards to civil rights for people on the basis of race, Dwight D. Eisenhower completed what Harry Truman had set out to do during his presidency and implemented integration within the armed forces. Additionally, his administration deemed racial discrimination a national security issue, albeit as a response to its use as Communist propaganda. To combat racial discrimination, Eisenhower proposed and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and 1960, the former of which established a civil rights division inside of the Justice Department and Civil Rights Commission. In 1957, when the state of Arkansas refused to adhere to a federal court order and integrate the public schools, Eisenhower placed the Arkansas National Guard under federal control, escorting and protecting nine African American students to Little Rock Central High School, an all-white public school. While his actions did much to improve civil rights for individuals on the basis of color, these actions did not extend to discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community.
