BW - EP127—003: May 1954—An Eisenhower Press Conference And Other Current Events

Breaking Walls: The Podcast on the History of American Network Radio Broadcasting

On Friday, May 14th, 1954 President Eisenhower gave a news conference, immediately opening the floor to reporters for general questions. The day prior The World Chess Championship was won by Mikhail Botvinnik in Moscow. On this day, The Boeing 707 was released. On Monday the 16th, The Kengir uprising broke out at a Soviet Labor camp. Political prisoners forced out guards and administration. It would last over a month. Meanwhile in the U.S., Senator McCarthy’s tirade had resulted in each political party’s questioning of the other’s loyalty, as well as talks of treason within the armed forces. Eisenhower simultaneously had both nothing, and a lot to say on these matters. On Tuesday, May 17th, Brown versus The Board of Education of Topeka would finally be decided.