The National Guard has played a pivotal role in American history, evolving from the state militias activated by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War to a force that enforces laws, maintains order, and supports civil rights movements.
Although there was no formal National Guard during the Civil War, Lincoln exercised presidential powers to federalize Union state militias in April 1861, mustering 75,000 men to combat the Confederacy. This authority stemmed from the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the ability to call forth the militia for various purposes, a power exercised historically by figures such as George Washington.
Fast forward to the mid-20th century, the National Guard’s role would transition into civil rights enforcement during a tumultuous period in American history. The 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education deemed racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, yet southern states resisted these changes.
The desegregation effort faced a significant challenge in 1957 when nine Black students, collectively known as the Little Rock Nine, attempted to integrate Central High School in Arkansas. Governor Orval Faubus mobilized the Arkansas National Guard to prevent their entry, invoking their protection even as a federal judge mandated their inclusion.
In response to this resistance, President Dwight D. Eisenhower took the unprecedented step of deploying 1,200 Army troops to Little Rock, effectively placing the Arkansas National Guardsmen under federal control. Subsequently, these Guardsmen escorted the Little Rock Nine to classes safely.
This was not an isolated event; the mobilization of National Guards for school integration continued. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy activated the Mississippi National Guard to enforce the integration of the University of Mississippi. One year later, he did the same with the Alabama National Guard to enforce integration at the University of Alabama, famously opposing Governor George Wallace.
By 1965, in another confrontation between state resistance and federal authority, President Lyndon B. Johnson federalized Alabama’s National Guard to protect civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr. This clash came into sharp focus during the Selma to Montgomery marches, specifically after the brutal events of March 7, 1965, known as ‘Bloody Sunday,’ where peaceful protestors were met with violent state opposition.
After the televised brutality outraged the nation, Johnson deployed National Guard troops and additional Army forces to ensure the march could continue peacefully. On September 25, 1965, King’s marchers finally reached Montgomery, making a significant stride in the civil rights movement.
As systemic racism and police brutality erupted in violence nationwide during the summer of 1967, with significant riots erupting in cities like Detroit, the National Guard was once again called upon. The Detroit riots ignited after police raided an after-hours bar in a primarily Black neighborhood, leading to widespread unrest.
President Johnson federalized 8,000 Michigan National Guard members and deployed an additional 5,000 federal troops. The ensuing chaos resulted in the loss of lives, significant injuries, and extensive destruction, highlighting the deep-rooted tensions in America.
The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968 marked another peak in civil unrest, with riots breaking out in over 100 cities. Johnson sought to quell the mayhem by activating 1,750 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., and supporting them with 12,000 federal troops to restore order.
In Wilmington, Delaware, Governor Charles Terry ordered the National Guard to remain active even after rioting ceased, establishing the longest military occupation of a city in American history, as armed guardsmen patrolled for nine months.
In more recent history, the National Guard’s involvement extended beyond civil rights into different domains like disaster response and law enforcement. The Air National Guard serves as the airborne branch of the National Guard, while the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve is employed in maritime crises, demonstrating the varied roles these military branches play in national security and emergency response.
Notably, in 1980, during the Mariel Boatlift, President Jimmy Carter activated the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve as thousands of Cuban refugees sought asylum in the United States amidst a complicated political landscape. The Coast Guard transitioned to search-and-rescue operations, alongside the USCGR, to assist the massive influx of Cuban émigrés.
The activation of these military forces underscores the ongoing complex relationship between state, federal authority, and civil rights. The interventions highlight both the struggles against systemic racism and the ability of federal powers to restore order amidst social upheaval.
The evolution of the National Guard reflects a history intertwined with American civil rights and struggles, making it not only a military entity but also a crucial player in shaping the social landscape of the nation.
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