WI: Dwight Eisenhower is able to pass Civil Rights Act in 1957

Even that would have limited effects. The African American vote in the South would probably increase somewhat, but it really took the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which went much further than Section Four (e.g., providing federal voting registrars, doing away with literacy tests, providing for pre-clearance of changes in voting procedures, etc.) Poll taxes and literacy tests, even if administered fairly, would have a disproportionate effect on African Americans...
Thinking about it, some of this could be done with fairly swift follow up legislation, which I imagine Eisenhower will still ask for following the 58 midterms*; other things though, like a ban on poll taxes, will likely have to wait for a constitutional amendment, which will still need to wait until after the 1960 election.

*OTL, he asked for another CRA in Feb 1959, eventually resulting in the CRA of 1960
 
Top