<--PREV Doc #366  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #368 Document #367; October 3, 1957 To William M. Shepherd Series: EM, AWF, Administration Series: Little Rock ; Category: [Telegram] The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVIII - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part III: The Space Age Begins; October 1957 to January 1958 Chapter 6: Sputnik and "the fears of our own people"   I have just seen a press notice of the petition sponsored by leading business and civic leaders of Little Rock, urging upon your neighbors calmness in the present situation and traditional respect for law and order.1 I think your action to be in the finest traditions of American citizenship. I cannot help but believe that under this kind of leadership, the City of Little Rock may rapidly return to normal patterns of peaceful living. Would you please express, on my behalf, these sentiments to all who joined with you in signing the petition?2 1 On October 1, 1957, the New York Times had reported that twenty-four business and civic leaders in Little Rock were seeking a solution to the integration crisis at Central High (for background see nos. 330, 357, and 359.) After meeting twice in secret, the group held its first public meeting on October 1 at the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. This group of local leaders pleaded for time on the integration issue and stated that it would be "unwise" for Governor Faubus to call the Arkansas legislature into session while emotions were "aroused" and the situation was "tense." Eisenhower may have meant to address Joshua K. Shepherd, principal spokesman for the group, who was a former president of the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce. William M. Shepherd, also a member of the group, was vice-president of the Arkansas Power and Light Company and former national president of the Junior Chamber of Commerce. The two men were not related. 2 Eisenhower made handwritten corrections to the draft of this telegram (Oct. 3, AWF/A: Little Rock). For developments see no. 374. Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. [Telegram] To William M. Shepherd, 3 October 1957. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 367. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/367.cfm <--PREV Doc #366  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #368

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