...students, only nine dared to stay. These nine would soon change the United States forever. The Little Rock Nine were by far the bravest people in history. Those nine were Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Melba Patillo Beals, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray, and Thelma Mothershed. They were the African American teenagers who risked everything for equality. Out of the hundreds who wanted to, they were the only ones who stayed. Five hundred and seventeen students were there at the start, but it quickly changed to eighty, then to forty-two, then to seventeen, then to ten, then to nine. Many of these students dropped out because they were scared, and were told that...
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...Denzel Washington once said “If you don’t read the newspaper you’re uninformed, if you do read it you’re misinformed.” which is not only true for the latest media but for media back then too. An example of this is the coverage of the little rock nine. The Little Rock Nine were the first black students to attend Central High School and trailblazers for the fight for integration. To no one's surprise, the events of Central were heavily covered in the news. Whether you believe the news is true or not you can’t deny the news plays a big role in bringing light and sometimes even misinterpreting the news they report. First and foremost, the media can shine a light on certain stories. In chapter 3 of Little rock girl, Two Symbolic Photos, Will...
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...During this discussion I will be discussing W.E.B. Du Bois and Little Rock Nine and how each topic he shaped African American History. W.E.B. Du Bois William Burghardt Du Bois; better known as W.E.B. Du Bois, was born on September 23, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts in a community which was predominately white. There were about 5,000 whites to 50 blacks. Born to Mary and Alfred Du Bois, he was raised to believe that hard work was the key to success. In 1884, he graduated from high school at the top of his class, made up of thirteen people with him being the only African American. Even though Du Bois could not attend Harvard as he always dreamed was excited to be accepted into Fisk University. It was an all-black university located in Nashville, Tennessee. His response to being accepted into Fisk was, “I was going into the South; the South of slavery, rebellion, and black folk; above all, I was going to meet colored people of my own age and education, of my own ambitions.” (Himan, 2005) Attending Fisk was a risk for Du Bois. He was not exposed to this sort of treatment and was shocked at how unrestricted whites were on how they treated African Americans. The more he discovered about the injustices African Americans suffered, the prouder he became of his own heritage. He graduated from Fisk with honors and received a scholarship to attend Harvard. During his years at Harvard he developed the theory racism was caused by ignorance. In 1895, he was the first...
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...Little Rock High School, now Central High School National Historic Site, is a national emblem of the often violent struggle over school desegregation. Parting the Waters author Taylor Branch calls the Little Rock crisis "the most severe test of the Constitution since the Civil War."Three years after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, which officially ended public-school segregation, a federal court ordered Little Rock to comply. On September 4, 1957, Governor Orval Faubus defied the court, calling in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine African American students--"The Little Rock Nine"(Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Dr. Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls Lanier, Minnijean Brown Trickey, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed-Wair, Melba Pattillo Beals )from entering the building. Ten days later in a meeting with President Eisenhower, Faubus agreed to use the National Guard to protect the African American teenagers, but on returning to Little Rock, he dismissed the troops, leaving the African American students exposed to an angry white mob. Within hours, the jeering, brick-throwing mob had beaten several reporters and smashed many of the school's windows and doors. By noon, local police were forced to evacuate the nine students. Edward Bouchet (1852-1918) was the son of a former slave who had moved to New Haven, Connecticut. Only three schools there accepted Black students at the time, so Bouchet's educational opportunities were...
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...* The Little Rock Nine were the nine African-American students involved in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. Their entrance into the school in 1957 sparked a nationwide crisis when Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, in defiance of a federal court order, called out the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the Nine from entering. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by federalizing the National Guard and sending in units of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division to escort the Nine into the school on September 25, 1957. The military presence remained for the duration of the school year. * Before transferring to Central, the Nine attended segregated schools for black students in Little Rock. Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, and Gloria Ray attended Paul Laurence Dunbar Junior High School, while Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Thelma Mothershed, Terrence Roberts, Minnijean Brown, and Melba Pattillo attended Horace Mann High School. * On May 24, 1955, the Little Rock School Board adopted a plan for gradual integration, known as the Blossom Plan (also known as the Little Rock Phase Program). The plan called for desegregation to begin in the fall of 1957 at Central and filter down to the lower grades over the next six years. Under the plan, students would be permitted to transfer from any school where their race was in the minority, thus ensuring that the black schools would remain racially segregated, because many people believed that few, if any, white...
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...rest of the school day? That’s exactly how the Little Rock Nine felt every day they attended Central High School. When they got the news that they were chosen to go to one of the best high schools in the country, they thought they’d finally done it. Finally gotten the chance to prove that they were just as worthy as whites to get a good education. But all of their optimism disappeared the moment they saw the mob gathered in front of the school. They knew then that nothing would be as they expected. All of their thoughts were confirmed once they stepped inside. The...
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...but soon overcame several hardships that later shaped her into an influential African American. Bates’ most known endeavor was working to desegregate schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. Daisy Bates and her family faced numerous threats along the way to desegregation. Daisy Bates inspired others as an influential African American through her progress as a Civil Rights activist, the risks and struggles she endured during her work, and her impact on society. Daisy Bates encountered a harsh childhood, that directly shaped her as the American Civil Rights activist she then became. “Daisy Bates” was born Daisy Lee Gatson on November 10, 1914 in Huttig, Arkansas (“Bates, Daisy” 1). Beginning from a rough start, when Bates was a young girl, her mother was raped and murdered by three white men (“The Death” 46). Daisy Bates was then raised by friends of her parents, after her father fled (“Documenting the American” 1). From this incident on, Bates was furious for a majority of her life. Adding to her hatred, Daisy Bates herself attended a segregated public school (“Bates, Daisy” 1). Bates was able to experience the...
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...A phenomenal young girl named Ruby Bridges were six years old when she became the first African American child to integrate into an all white Elementary School. She was escorted to class by her mother and U.S Marshals due to the violent mobs. When she entered the school, she immediately spent the entire day in the principal’s office and did not have the same opportunities as the other students. This little girl faced many obstacles but she continued to exhibit bravery when being ostracized, threatened by others, and surrounded by racist. The young child were ostracized by many of the teachers, administrators, and students. Barbara Henry, the only teacher who agreed to teach Ruby, was new and greeted her with open arms. The six year old girl was Mrs. Henry’s only student because parents withdrew their children from her class and sent them to other schools. She ate isolated during lunch time and had no friends at home because they were not allowed to play with her because of where she attends school. Moreover, Ruby was ostracized or secluded inside and outside of school. The girl was threatened harshly by the people of public. On her second day of school, a woman threatened to poison her, so she only chose to eat...
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...This memoir is based off of the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals. Melba was one of the first black students to go to an all-white school in 1957. She had to deal with people pushing her and threatening her everyday. She got through it by using inner strength she got from her faith in God, her mother and grandmother, and from people she met in school and outside of school. The students of the school had tried to get her to leave multiple times, but she persevered and overcame her struggle. I also have a lot of challenges in my life. One of my most faced challenges is keeping up in school. I need to keep my grades up to be successful in life. The way I keep strength is by thinking of consequences if I were to give up,...
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...“Being the bigger person doesn’t always mean fighting back” (Unknown). The Little Rock Nine had to be the bigger people in comparison to their oppressors. This took personal growth. In Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, young Melba grows stronger as a person and as a Christian as she integrates Central High School. Melba does not have a choice. Beginning as soon as she decided to integrate, Melba had to strengthen and grow as a person. For instance, Melba thinks, “I wanted to turn and run away, but I thought about what Danny had said: ‘Warriors survive’” (163). If Melba had not strengthened, she would have ended the fight by giving up or dying. Danny, Melba’s ‘bodyguard’ once told her that “it takes a warrior to fight a battle and...
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...Harriet Tubman showed perseverance and determination when she would travel from Maryland to Canada to bring freedom to the slaves. Even though Harriet never been or seen Canada, she knew it would be a perfect place. A place where slaves will finally receive civil rights, equality, and liberty. The long journey would be exhausting and uncomfortable but Harriet would still try to accomplish her goal. Sometimes, the stops she was supposed to take would be unavailable for her and the slaves however she never gave up on her mission. She never allowed herself or the others to give up and go back to the harsh conditions of Maryland. Harriet exhibited her fearlessness behavior by risking her own life for the slaves. Harriet also known as "Moses"...
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...head: LITTLE ROCK NINE The Little Rock Nine: The Crisis That Shaped a Nation Angela Manjarrez Point Loma Nazarene University Abstract The Little Rock Nine were nine African American students from Little Rock, Arkansas who enrolled at Central High School. No African American student was allowed to enroll in an all White school, until the Supreme Court passed a ruling in which schools would be integrated. It was a trying time for these nine students as they suffered through violence, hate, segregation, humiliation, and fear. Little did they know that their actions during the 1957-1958 school year would mark an important event that changed history forever. They endured massive amounts of pain during their ordeal of mainly trying to get an education. But they received help and support along the way. The Little Rock Nine shaped the educational systems and gave hope to a divided nation at the time. They would grow to be successful individuals and remembered as unsung heroes in Civil Rights history. The Little Rock Nine: The Crisis That Shaped a Nation In 1957, nine ordinary teenagers walked out of their homes and stepped up to the front lines in the battle for civil rights. The “Little Rock Nine” or the “Little Rock Crisis” refers to a time in history in which nine African American students were prevented from attending Little Rock Central High School, located in the southern state of Arkansas. This also took place during the Civil Rights Movement. The Little Rock Nine...
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...Segregation Debated and Changed: Little Rock Nine I will never forget September 4, 1957. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. I was making breakfast as my daughter, Elizabeth, was ironing her new dress, a beautiful white shirtwaist with a deep gingham hem, which we had made for her. My son was watching television, as he did every morning, while he waited for his breakfast. My husband was sitting next to my son on the couch in the living room, reading the morning newspaper. It seemed to be a perfectly normal day until the news came on. “A large crowd of angry white people has gathered outside of Little Rock’s Central High School. Everyone here is wondering whether the nine Negro students will show up today,” said the TV announcer. “Turn that off!” I exclaimed. Immediately my husband got up from the couch and came to my side. He held me in his arms and quietly said, “My nerves are shattered too. The news reports were bad enough last night, but we must not let the ignorance get to us. Elizabeth will be fine once she gets to school and joins the other children.” My husband makes me feel so safe and calm I thought to myself. He had a special talent, you could say. My heart sang as I heard Elizabeth announce, “See you later, Mom. Good-bye, Pop. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.” I interjected, “Before you go, let’s all pray.” “Do we have to? I am going to be late!” “Take my hand, sweetheart. It will only take a second to ask for God’s...
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...The Little Rock Nine were the nine African-American students involved in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. Their entrance into the school in 1957 sparked a nationwide crisis when Arkansas governor Orval Faubus, in defiance of a federal court order, called out the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the Nine from entering. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded by federalizing the National Guard and sending in units of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division to escort the Nine into the school on September 25, 1957. The military presence remained for the duration of the school year. Before transferring to Central, the Nine attended segregated schools for black students in Little Rock (Pulaski County). Carlotta Walls, Jefferson Thomas, and Gloria Ray attended Paul Laurence Dunbar Junior High School, while Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Thelma Mothershed, Terrence Roberts, Minnijean Brown, and Melba Pattillo attended Horace Mann High School. On May 24, 1955, the Little Rock School Board adopted a plan for gradual integration, known as the Blossom Plan (also known as the Little Rock Phase Program). The plan called for desegregation to begin in the fall of 1957 at Central and filter down to the lower grades over the next six years. Under the plan, students would be permitted to transfer from any school where their race was in the minority, thus ensuring that the black schools would remain racially segregated, because many people believed that few, if any...
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...Warriors Don’t Cry Warriors Don’t Cry is a true first-hand account of what Melba Pattillo Beals experienced in her junior year at Little Rock Central High School. Her story takes place in 1957, being one of the Little Rock nine to be integrated into the public school system. Initially there were seventeen students that were going to integrate but due to violence and threats the number was decreased to nine. Throughout the book, Melba tells us what life is like being one of the nine. She had to bear telephone threats, physical abuse, and huge violent mobs, among many other things. Her high school experience was unlike anything anyone could imagine. Melba Beals overcame many obstacles both mental and physical, but is truly a warrior and a hero. At a time of weakness, Melba is reminded by her Grandmother that she is one of God’s warriors. She was upset that she wasn’t going to be able to go to the Community Center that her crush was going to be at. Her Grandmother India knew the risk of her going to the Community Center and only wanted what was best for her safety. She ran to her room and began to weep because what she was going through wasn’t fair to her. She was missing out on all the things a young high school girl loves doing. Her Grandmother told her, “God’s warriors don’t cry, ‘cause they trust that he’s always by their side” (Beals, 57). Melba being told as a young girl that she wasn’t allowed to cry because it displayed her weakness demonstrations the amount of thick...
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