Robert Ervin Howard (born January 22, 1906) was the 17th President of the Confederate States of America. He was the last Democratic Party candidate to serve as president (before it officially became known as the Liberal Party) by narrowly defeating the newly formed Confederalist Party candidate, and staunch segregation supporter Fielding Wright, in the 1957 Confederate presidential election. Despite continuing to build upon the Interstate Highway System begun by former President Marshall, Howard's inability, or unwillingness, to take a stance on Civil Right's issues made him extremely unpopular with both the liberal and conservative factions of his own party and would serve to be the catalyst for the creation of the Liberal Party.