50 years ago nine couragoeus high school students changed the USA. One simple step towards inequality turned a segregated naition upside down on September of 1957.
On September 2, the night before school was to start, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called out the state’s National Guard to surround Little Rock Central High School and prevent any black students from entering in order to protect citizens and property from possible violence by protesters he claimed were headed in caravans toward Little Rock.
A federal judge granted an injunction against the Governor’s use of National Guard troops to prevent integration and they were withdrawn on September 20.
When school resumed on Monday, September 23, Central High was surrounded by Little Rock policemen. About 1,000 people gathered in front of the school. The police escorted the nine black students to a side door where they quietly entered the building as classes were to begin. When the mob learned the blacks were inside, they began to challenge the police and surge toward the school with shouts and threats. Fearful the police would be unable to control the crowd, the school administration moved the black students out a side door before noon.
As Little Rock experienced their first year as a segregated school these nine African American students took the heat, insults, and abuse from their white peers. This event was one of the most important events in the civil rights moivement. Here at Little Rock, you had a state fighting against federal authority, national guard troopers facing professional paratroopers and a governor against a president.
This was an incredible step towards integration and althoguh it took many more years of hardships we always have to start somewhere. We have to stand up for what we believe and stand on our grounds in order to get heard. [kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/1kbawIm1SXY" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]
“Stand up tall, get involved. The future up to you, so please be strong like the Little Rock Nine”
Such a inspiring event in American history, where ordinary people got extra-ordinary activities and stand up against injustice.
I am amazed at these 9 students for their bravery, I did not know the President sent troops to protect them. That just goes to show how slow and ineffective the government is; even though the President did that, it took some time after that for schools to be desegrated.
Ernest Green was a black student who actually graduated from Central High in 1958. To prevent other black students from graduating, the Little Rock School Board tried for an injunction to delay school integration. On September 12, 1958 the Supreme Court reversed the injunction which forced Little Rock schools to integrate. Governor Faubus signed into law a series of segregation bills including one in which he had the power to shut down public schools. Faubus proceeded to close down all of the Little Rock public schools. One year later, the segregation bills were declared unconstitutional and the public schools reopened in 1959.
This event is proof of how deeply white Southerners felt about integration. It also shows how far they were willing to go to prevent integration. On the other hand, it also shows what troubles the African Americans were willing to put up with to attain equality. Daisy Bates, a civil rights activist, cited the Little Rock events as having the most impact of Civil Rights actions to follow, including sit-ins and the Freedom Rides. The Little Rock events was the spark that set the stage for the African American fight for equality.
I think that escort provided to nine students by the order of President influenced a national view toward civil rights.
Even though the court declared the segeration of black and white students in school was unconstitutional, the Little Rock Nine event still happened which led by a governor. Things proved, a REAL change for civil rights was needed.