 He did so twice during the tumultuous 1970s, first from October to December 1973, following Spiro Agnew's resignation until the swearing-in of Gerald Ford as Vice President, and then from August to December 1974, from the time that Ford became President until Nelson Rockefeller was sworn in as Vice President.Then, Eastland was second in the presidential line of succession, behind only Speaker of the House Carl Albert.Eastland is known for having opposed integration and the American Civil Rights Movement, which became increasingly active in the mid-20th century.