<P> In response, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 11111, which federalized the Alabama National Guard, and Guard General Henry Graham then commanded Wallace to step aside, saying, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States ." Wallace then spoke further, but eventually moved, and Malone and Hood completed their registration . The incident brought Wallace into the national spotlight . </P> <P> On May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its decision regarding the case called Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, in which the plaintiffs charged that the education of black children in separate public schools from their white counterparts was unconstitutional . Brown v. Board of Education meant that the University of Alabama had to be desegregated . In the years following, hundreds of African - Americans applied for admission, but with one brief exception, all were denied . The University worked with police to find any disqualifying qualities, or when this failed, intimidated the applicants . But in 1963, three African - Americans--Vivian Malone Jones, Dave McGlathery and James Hood--applied . In early June a federal district judge ordered that they be admitted, and forbade Governor Wallace from interfering . </P> <P> On June 11, Malone and Hood pre-registered in the morning at the Birmingham courthouse . They selected their courses and filled out all their forms there . They arrived at Foster Auditorium to have their course loads reviewed by advisors and pay their fees . They remained in their vehicle as Wallace, attempting to uphold his promise as well as for political show, blocked the entrance to Foster Auditorium with the media watching . Then, flanked by federal marshals, Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach told Wallace to step aside . However, Wallace interrupted Katzenbach and gave a speech on states' rights . </P> <P> Katzenbach called President John F. Kennedy, who had previously issued a presidential proclamation demanding that Wallace step aside, and told him of Wallace's actions in ignoring the proclamation as it had no legal force . In response, Kennedy issued Executive Order 11111, which had already been prepared, authorizing the federalization of the Alabama National Guard . Four hours later, Guard General Henry Graham commanded Wallace to step aside, saying, "Sir, it is my sad duty to ask you to step aside under the orders of the President of the United States ." Wallace then spoke further, but eventually moved, and Malone and Hood completed their registration . </P>

Who were the two black students enrolled at the university in forrest gump