Changes

When the [[United States Senate]] took up the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]], the '''jury trial amendment''' was introduced and passed, which weakened the legislation to being effectively toothless. The scheme was masterminded by then-[[Senate Majority Leader]] (and later president) [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], who compromised with the Southern [[segregation]]ists to pass a weak bill rather than oversee a defeat under a filibuster.<ref name=kennedysandking>DiEugenio, James (October 7, 2018). [https://www.kennedysandking.com/reviews/the-kennedys-and-civil-rights-how-the-msm-continues-to-distort-history-part-2 The Kennedys and Civil Rights: How the MSM Continues to Distort History, Part 2]. ''Kennedys and King''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref>

When the [[United States Senate]] took up the [[Civil Rights Act of 1957]], the '''jury trial amendment''' was introduced and passed, which weakened the legislation to being effectively toothless. The scheme was masterminded by then-[[Senate Majority Leader]] (and later president) [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], who compromised with the Southern [[segregation]]ists to pass a weak bill rather than oversee a defeat under a filibuster.<ref name=kennedysandking>DiEugenio, James (October 7, 2018). [https://www.kennedysandking.com/reviews/the-kennedys-and-civil-rights-how-the-msm-continues-to-distort-history-part-2 The Kennedys and Civil Rights: How the MSM Continues to Distort History, Part 2]. ''Kennedys and King''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref>

==Timeline==

==Timeline and details==

Following the removal of Title III which authorized additional powers for the [[United States Attorney General]] to seek preventive relief in civil rights cases,<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/ The Civil Rights Act of 1957]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s71 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> the jury trial amendment aimed to halt any further substantial progress. It required jury trials in all cases of criminal contempt, which in the South would result in a white defendant being acquitted by their segregationist peers in practically any case where they were accused by blacks of violating voting rights.<ref name=kennedysandking/>

Following the removal of Title III which authorized additional powers for the [[United States Attorney General]] to seek preventive relief in civil rights cases,<ref>[https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/ The Civil Rights Act of 1957]. ''US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref><ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s71 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO DELETE AUTHORITY FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL TO SEEK PREVENTIVE RELIEF IN CIVIL RIGHTS CASES UNDER THE 14TH AMENDMENT.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> the jury trial amendment aimed to halt any further substantial progress. It required jury trials in all cases of criminal contempt, which in the South would result in a white defendant being acquitted by their segregationist peers in practically any case where they were accused by blacks of violating voting rights.<ref name=kennedysandking/>

The amendment passed on August 2, 1957 by a 51–42 vote.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s73 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> 80% of Democrats voted ''yea'' on weakening the Civil Rights Act of 1957, compared to only 26% of Republicans. The Democrats who ensured the passage of the amendment were '''not''' exclusive to the Southern bloc, as a number of their Northern colleagues (who were largely [[New Deal]] [[liberals]]) including [[Joseph O'Mahoney]], [[Mike Mansfield]], and [[James E. Murray]] supported it. Then-senator [[John F. Kennedy]] of [[Massachusetts]] initially opposed the jury trial amendment, though voted ''yea'' after being lobbied by Johnson.<ref name=kennedysandking/>

The amendment passed on August 2, 1957 by a 51–42 vote.<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/s73 HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957. AMENDMENT TO GUARANTEE JURY TRIALS IN ALL CASES OF CRIMINAL CONTEMPT AND PROVIDE UNIFORM METHODS FOR SELECTING FEDERAL COURT JURIES.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved August 4, 2021.</ref> 80% of Democrats voted ''yea'' on weakening the Civil Rights Act of 1957, compared to only 26% of Republicans. The Democrats who ensured the passage of the amendment were '''not''' exclusive to the Southern bloc, as a number of their Northern colleagues (who were largely [[New Deal]] [[liberals]]) including [[Joseph O'Mahoney]], [[Mike Mansfield]], and [[James E. Murray]] supported it. Then-senator [[John F. Kennedy]] of [[Massachusetts]] initially opposed the jury trial amendment, though voted ''yea'' after being lobbied by Johnson.<ref name=kennedysandking/>