Changes

In 1958, Bennett authored a series of bills designed to limit the activities of [[civil rights]] protestors, whom he considered "the enemies of America.”<ref name=ency/> The bills sought to prevent the NAACP from providing legal counsel or funding lawsuits in Arkansas. Bennett tried to force the NAACP to release its membership list and personnel records to the state, a position struck down in 1958 by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in a related case, ''NAACP v. Alabama.'' Bennett also procured legislation to prohibit NAACP members from becoming Arkansas state employees. He associated the NAACP with an "international communist conspiracy" and presented such testimony before legislative bodies in Arkansas and Tennessee.<ref name=ency/>​

In 1958, Bennett authored a series of bills designed to limit the activities of [[civil rights]] protestors, whom he considered "the enemies of America.”<ref name=ency/> The bills sought to prevent the NAACP from providing legal counsel or funding lawsuits in Arkansas. Bennett tried to force the NAACP to release its membership list and personnel records to the state, a position struck down in 1958 by the [[United States Supreme Court]] in a related case, ''NAACP v. Alabama.'' Bennett also procured legislation to prohibit NAACP members from becoming Arkansas state employees. He associated the NAACP with an "international communist conspiracy" and presented such testimony before legislative bodies in Arkansas and Tennessee.<ref name=ency/>​

Bennett was succeeded as attorney general in 1961 by [[J. Frank Holt]], who stepped down a year later to join Johnson on the Arkansas Supreme Court.<ref name="attyg"/> In 1966, when Faubus declined to seek a seventh term as governor, Bennett was defeated for re-nomination for attorney general by Joe Purcell.<ref name=ency/> That same year, the post-Faubus Democrats nominated "Justice Jim" Johnson for governor, ten years after his first attempt to gain the post. Johnson defeated his fellow justice, J. Frank Holt, in the primary. However, in the 1966 [[general election]], Johnson lost to [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a supporter of civil rights legislation.​

Bennett was succeeded as attorney general in 1961 by [[J. Frank Holt]], who stepped down a year later to join Johnson on the Arkansas Supreme Court.<ref name="attyg"/> In 1966, when Faubus declined to seek a seventh term as governor, Bennett was defeated for re-nomination for attorney general by Joe Purcell.<ref name=ency/> That same year, the post-Faubus Democrats nominated "Justice Jim" [[James Johnson (Arkansas politician)|James Johnson]] for governor, ten years after his first attempt to gain the post. Johnson defeated his fellow justice, J. Frank Holt, in the primary. However, in the 1966 [[general election]], Johnson lost to [[Moderate Republican]] [[Winthrop Rockefeller]], a supporter of civil rights legislation.​

In 1966, Joe Purcell succeeded Bennett as attorney general when he defeated a then stronger-than usual-challenge from a Democrat-turned-Republican, Jerry Kreth Thomasson (1931-2007) of Arkadelphia in Clark County.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>

In 1966, Joe Purcell succeeded Bennett as attorney general when he defeated a then stronger-than usual-challenge from a Democrat-turned-Republican, Jerry Kreth Thomasson (1931-2007) of Arkadelphia in Clark County.<ref>Arkansas Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1966.</ref>