Monday, January 14, 2008
Who is responsible for the ’64 Civil Rights Act?
There is much debate in the American Presidential primaries about who is responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton was quoted as giving primary credit to President Lyndon Johnson who signed the act. History has credited passage of the act to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Who is ultimately responsible for major historical advancements? Is it the person with the power to finally enact the outcome? Or is it the person that initially put into motion a series of events that led to enactment? Or could it be the people involved along the way?
History can be kind or unkind to individuals. Many have taught that Henry Ford invented the automobile. In reality he had nothing to do with that intention -- he merely invented an assembly line to mass produce what others had done. (Yes, we know that the word “merely” is a drastic understatement).
There is much debate in the American Presidential primaries about who is responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton was quoted as giving primary credit to President Lyndon Johnson who signed the act. History has credited passage of the act to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Who is ultimately responsible for major historical advancements? Is it the person with the power to finally enact the outcome? Or is it the person that initially put into motion a series of events that led to enactment? Or could it be the people involved along the way?
History can be kind or unkind to individuals. Many have taught that Henry Ford invented the automobile. In reality he had nothing to do with that intention -- he merely invented an assembly line to mass produce what others had done. (Yes, we know that the word “merely” is a drastic understatement).
What about flight? Did the Wright Brothers’ success at Kitty Hawk mean that they should be given sole responsibility for the airplane? Could they have done it without the research, trials, and errors over hundreds of years as man sought to overcome gravity?
These are inventions -- and perhaps not clearly connected with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So let's look at something more political.
Franklin Roosevelt signed the treaties that ended World War II. Can one therefore say he won the war? Can one therefore say he is responsible for the end of the war? By doing so do we diminish the sacrifice and efforts of soldiers, airmen, and sailors from dozens of countries who laid their lives on the line in the name of national sovereignty?
Even closer to the issue at hand, should Abraham Lincoln receive full acclamation and credit for freeing American slaves when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation? Could the proclamation have stood were it not for the dedication of Union soldiers, the work of the Underground Railroad, and many people who spoke loudly that all people were created equal and deserve freedom?
Granted, Lyndon Johnson was the only person in a position to sign an act of Congress. However if we give him full or majority credit for this deed, do we diminish the contributions of millions of people supporting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr? And as for the doctor himself, do we undermine the magnificence with which he laid his life on the line by creating a vivid enough vision of a nation of equality sufficient to build an army of such proportion?
We can long debate who is responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In doing so let us remember that had it not been for the courageous, visionary leadership of Dr. King, President Johnson would not have had any document in front of him in the first place.
These are inventions -- and perhaps not clearly connected with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So let's look at something more political.
Franklin Roosevelt signed the treaties that ended World War II. Can one therefore say he won the war? Can one therefore say he is responsible for the end of the war? By doing so do we diminish the sacrifice and efforts of soldiers, airmen, and sailors from dozens of countries who laid their lives on the line in the name of national sovereignty?
Even closer to the issue at hand, should Abraham Lincoln receive full acclamation and credit for freeing American slaves when he signed the Emancipation Proclamation? Could the proclamation have stood were it not for the dedication of Union soldiers, the work of the Underground Railroad, and many people who spoke loudly that all people were created equal and deserve freedom?
Granted, Lyndon Johnson was the only person in a position to sign an act of Congress. However if we give him full or majority credit for this deed, do we diminish the contributions of millions of people supporting Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr? And as for the doctor himself, do we undermine the magnificence with which he laid his life on the line by creating a vivid enough vision of a nation of equality sufficient to build an army of such proportion?
We can long debate who is responsible for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In doing so let us remember that had it not been for the courageous, visionary leadership of Dr. King, President Johnson would not have had any document in front of him in the first place.
Picture credit: Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
Labels: Leadership, News, Race
¶ 1/14/2008
