Final answer:
Orval Faubus, the governor of Arkansas in 1957, resisted integration at Central High School by deploying the National Guard to prevent the Little Rock Nine from entering, leading to federal intervention by President Eisenhower.
Step-by-step explanation:
Orval Faubus, the governor of Arkansas, gained notoriety for his resistance to school integration, particularly at Central High School in 1957. In an attempt to appease segregationist sentiments within his constituency during a re-election campaign, Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Guard to obstruct the entry of nine African American students, the Little Rock Nine, into the racially segregated school.
This open defiance of a federal court order mandating desegregation created a constitutional crisis, prompting President Dwight Eisenhower to intervene. Eisenhower federalized the National Guard and deployed the 101st Airborne Division to enforce the court's ruling, ensuring the safety and rights of the African American students. This decisive federal intervention marked a significant moment in the broader civil rights struggle, illustrating the federal government's commitment to upholding court-ordered desegregation against state-level resistance.