The Civil Rights Act of 1957 established the first civil rights commission in over 80 years and created a civil rights division in the Department of Justice to enforce protections for voting rights and ensure diversity in federal juries. It proved Congress could pass civil rights legislation with bipartisan support from President Eisenhower, Senate Leader Johnson, and others, despite opposition from Senator Thurmond. The act helped lay the groundwork for stronger future protections by identifying issues and enforcing new protections, though Dr. King argued more would still be needed to overcome inadequate enforcement of rights.