Orval Faubus

[[File:Orval Faubus.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Faubus in 1959]]{{uspolitics}}{{Expand}}{{cquote|'''Charles:''' Why is he so sick and ridiculous? <br> '''Danny:''' He won't permit integrated schools. <br> '''Charles:''' Then he's a fool!|20px|20px|Charles Mingus, ''Original Faubus Fables''<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXuZBywW4gA</ref>}}
'''Orval Eugene Faubus''' {{lived|1910|1994}} was the [[Dixiecrat]] governor of [[Arkansas]] from 1954-1967.

==Early political achievements== 
During the first few months of his administration, Faubus [[segregation|desegregated]] public transportation in Arkansas and investigated the possibility of integrating [[public school]]s, which was quite a courageous endeavor for a man of his time (and place).<ref>[http://library.wustl.edu/units/spec/filmandmedia/collections/henry-hampton-collection/eyes1/faubus.htm Orval Faubus (1910-1994)], Wash. U</ref> His progressive approach to [[civil rights]] reform would prove to be short-lived, however.

==Central High crisis==
[[File:US Army escort.jpg|thumb|left|165px|Never piss off Ike.]]
In 1954, the [[U.S.]] [[Supreme Court]] ruled that [[Brown v. Board of Education|public schools had to be integrated]]. White Arkansans [[white supremacy|were not amused]]. In a stunning display of political douchebaggery, Faubus (envious of the success his opponents were having using segregationist rhetoric to stir up white voters) decided that the wisest course of action would be to deploy the Arkansas National Guard to Little Rock Central High School at the beginning of the 1957-58 school year in order to block nine [[African American]] students from entering. They were known as the '''Little Rock Nine'''.

U.S. President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] was not amused. He gave Faubus an epic presidential bitch-slap and federalized the Arkansas National Guard. He then deployed the 101<sup>st</sup> Airborne Division of the [[US Army]] to the school in order to suppress the inevitable 
redneck uprising
 [[mob]] violence that ensued and enforce the federal court order.<ref>[http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_little_rock_school_desegregation_1957/ Little Rock School Desegregation (1957)], Stanford</ref> Students would have to finish the remainder of the school year under the supervision of the U.S. military. The school was closed for the 1958-59 school year, ending any hopes of the [[Fun:American football|football]] team going to the state championship that season.<ref>[http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=718 You mad?]</ref> Amazingly, Faubus continued on as governor until 1967, when he chose not to run again, thank God. He ran for the Democratic presidential primary nomination over and over until 1986. He died in 1994.

==See also==
*[[Jim Crow laws]]

==External links==
*[http://life.time.com/history/little-rock-nine-1957-photos/#3 Brave Hearts: Remembering the Little Rock Nine], ''LIFE''
*[http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/research/online_documents/civil_rights_little_rock.html Series of Little Rock documents] at the Eisenhower Presidential Library

==References==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Authors]]
[[Category:Former United States Governors]]
[[Category:Government incompetence]]
[[Category:Leftists who turned right with age]]
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[[Category:Perennial candidates]]
[[Category:Racists]]
[[Category:Segregationists]]
[[Category:Shysters]]
[[Category:United States politicians]]
[[Category:United States presidential candidates]]

Categories: Authors, Former United States Governors, Government incompetence, Leftists who turned right with age, Military, Perennial candidates, Racists, Segregationists, Shysters, United States politicians, United States presidential candidates