Little Rock Nine By Taylor Heisler W e
Little Rock Nine By: Taylor Heisler "W e bec kids d aus id i bet ter, e we d t main ly will idn but ' i and ng to p our p t know a (Ern their h ut the rents any w i est r o Gre mes o caree ere r en) ” n the l s, ine.
How Integrated Started • Brown vs. Board of Education – (Separate but Equal in Plessy vs. Ferguson) “violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and is unconstitutional”. • Decided on May 17 th, 1954 in Topeka, Kansas • “We come then to the question presented: Does segregation of children in public schools solely on the basis of race, even though the physical facilities and other "tangible" factors may be equal, deprive the children of the minority group of equal educational opportunities? We believe that it does. . . We conclude that in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place. Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. Therefore, we hold that the plaintiffs and others similarly situated for whom the actions have been brought are, by reason of the segregation complained of, deprived of the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. [12]”
How Integrated Started in Little Rock • The School Board adopted the “Blossom Plan” on May 24 th, 1955 because of Brown vs Board Of Education • Plan to integrate throughout the district in a 6 year process
Adversity Faced in Integration • September 2 nd, day before school was scheduled to state Governor Orval Faubus called out the state's National Guard to surround Little Rock Central High School and prevent any black students from entering • Some parents of white student refused to integrate and threatened to remove their kids six, , r u o , f t “Two We ain’ t… eigh nt a gonn ate!” cha y b r integ alled out c was parents. y angr
Little Rock Working to Integrate • Had already desegregated buses, zoos, libraries, and parks • 39 Students were asked to go to Central High School, but only 9 showed up on the first day • President Eisenhower ordered 101 st Airborne Division to Little Rock to help students be protected, and to over ride the National Guard ordered by the Governor of AK to keep black students out
Attempted First Day of School • September 23 rd, 1957 • School was Surrounded by Little Rock Policemen • About 1, 000 Little Rock citizens gathered in front of the high school • Police entered the 9 black students in a side door to avoid conflict • When citizens heard black students were in school they surged toward the school and overpowered police • School administration let black students out before noon.
First Day of School • September 25 th, 1957 • Nine Students were escorted to class by 101 st Airborne Division • Each student had a guard assigned to them to protect them around the school • 101 st Airborne stayed at the school until November • After November National Guard was put in charge of maintaining order
Ways to try to get the Nine Student out • National Guard couldn’t go everywhere with students and they experienced bullying (emotional and physical) in locker room and bathrooms • None of the nine students had any classes with one another • Not permitted to participate in extra curricular activities
Fighting Back • Minnijean Brown was only one to fight back • Suspended for dumping her chili on two white boys for calling her names • Then expelled for calling a white girl “White Trash” “I just c an everyth ’t take in me wit g they throw ho at back. (M ut fighting innijea n Brow n)”
End of the School Year • The eight students left continued at Central High School through the end of the school year • Ernest Green graduated, he was the only senior • Martin Luther King Jr attended his graduation n an e e b s ’ t “I ear. y g n i t s intere course a d a h I’ve ions t a l e r n a in hum. (Ernest nd first ha ” Green)
The Following Year • The rest of the students were forced to either go to attend other schools or take correspondence classes the next year when voters opted to close all four of Little Rock’s high schools to prevent further desegregation efforts. • Some of the students took classes at University of Arkansas that year
Little Rock Nine Foundation • Founded in February 1999 • 9 members of the Little Rock Nine are the members/founders of the Foundation • Gives Scholarships in order to give all races an equal opportunity to go to school • Won the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999
Minnijean Brown • • • Born on September 11 th, 1941 16 years old when entered Central High School February 1958 she moved to NYC and lived with Dr. Kenneth B. and Dr. Marnie Clark, African American psychologists Graduated from New Lincoln High School in 1959 Attended Southern Illinois University-Journalism Moved to Canada Laurentian University- Bachelor of Social Work in Native Human Services Carleton University- Master of Social Work from in Ontario, Canada. She has worked on behalf of peacemaking, environmental issues, developing youth leadership, diversity education and training, cross-cultural communication. served in the Clinton Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Workforce Diversity at the Department of the Interior from 1999 to 2001. She has taught social work at Carleton University and in various community colleges in Canada. Awarded: Lifetime Achievement Tribute by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and the International Wolf Award for contributions to racial harmony.
Elizabeth Eckford • Born October 4 th, 1941 • 15 when entering Central High School • Came alone on September 23 rd, 1957 and was turned away, didn’t get phone call about group, angry mob confronted her until 2 white men stood up for her • After year at Central she joined the army and earned her G. E. D. • Moved back to Little Rock in 1960’s to be closer to her parents • Attended Central State University in Wilberforce, OH • Jobs Held: waitress, history teacher, welfare worker, unemployment and employment interviewer, and a military reporter.
Ernest Green • • • Born September 22 nd, 1941 Only senior in group, first black person to graduate from Central High School Involved in Boy Scouts and became and Eagle Scout Went to College at Michigan State University and got a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in sociology. director for the A. Phillip Randolph Education Fund from 1968 to 1977 appointed as the assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Affairs during President Jimmy Carter's administration from 1977 to 1981 served on numerous boards, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. Now he is Managing Director at Lehman Brothers in Washington, D. C. and has been with the company since 1987 Married with 3 children In 1992 Disney Produced a TV special called The Ernest Green Story to teach about the Little Rock Nine
Thelma Mothershed Wair • Born in 1940 in Bloomberg, Texas • Took correspondence courses and attended summer school in St. Louis, Missouri in order to get her diploma from Central High by mail • Graduated from Southern Illinois Univesity and got her bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling, and an Administrative Certificate in Education • Has worked as: teacher, at St. Louis county jail, Detention center for Juveniles, instructor of survival skills • Awarded: Outstanding Role Model by Top Ladies of Distinction • Married and has 1 son
Melba Pattillo Beals • • Born on December 7 th, 1941 Wrote a book about her experiences at Central High: Warriors Don't Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle To Desegregate Little Rock's Central High School. Book was published in 1995 and won the Robert F. Kennedy Book Award that same year. She also wrote White is a State of Mind, published in 1999, which serves as a sequel to Warriors Don't Cry and follows Beals from her senior year in high school into college and her family days in California. Her mother was one of the first black women to graduate from University of Arkansas in 1954 After year at Central High she moved to Santa Rosa, CA for her senior year of high school Graduated from San Francisco State University with a bachelor’s degree in Communication Got her master’s in Communication from Columbia University to get r e d r o n I “ ou Worked as reporter for NBC, and as communications consultant. through this year, y ecome a b o t e v a h will let your r e v e N. r soldie at you h w w o n k enemy elba’s M (. g n i l e e are f n) guardsma
Carlotta Walls La. Nier • Born December 18 th, 1942 • Youngest member of the Little Rock Nine • After year of shutdown she returned to Central High and graduated in 1960. • Attended MSU for two years before moving to Denver with her family • Earned Bachelor of Science from Colorado State College • Worked as YWCA administrator, founded La. Nier and Company(a Real Estate Brokerage Frim) • President of Little Rock Nine Foundation(Scholarship Program) • Served as a trustee for the Iliff School of Theology • Married with 2 children
Terrence Roberts • Born December 3 rd, 1941 • After year at Central High he moved to Los Angeles, CA and graduated from Los Angeles High school in 1959 • Attended California State University and got bachelor’s degree in sociology • Master’s degree in social welfare in 1970 • Ph. D. from Southern Illinois University in psychology. • Directed the mental health unit of St. Helona Hospital for 10 years. • UCLA School of Social Welfare as assistant dean • Department chair of psychology program at Antioch University, Los Angeles. • Roberts serves on the boards of the Economic Resources Center in Southern California, Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, Eisenhower World Affairs Institute, and Little Rock Nine Foundation • Married with 2 daughters and 1 grandson
Jefferson Thomas Born in 1942 His quietness made him a target for bullies Took year off while Central was closed Graduated from Central High School in 1960 Became an accountant for the US Department of Defense • Passed Away in 2010 • • •
Gloria Cecilia Ray • Born September 26 th, 1942 • Her mom worked for the state of Arkansas until the governor fired her for not taking Gloria out of Central High. • After year at Central she moved to Missouri and attended Kansas City Central High School • Graduated from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Mathematics • Worked as teacher and laboratory research assistant • Married and has 2 children
Works Cited • • http: //www. centralhigh 57. org/The_Little_Rock_Nine. html http: //www. centralhigh 57. org/ http: //encyclopediaofarkansas. net/encyclopedia/entry-detail. aspx? entry. ID=723 http: //littlerock. about. com/cs/entralhigh/a/Integration. htm http: //www. history. com/videos/little-rock-nine#little-rock-nine http: //littlerock 9. com/History. aspx http: //www. watson. org/~lisa/blackhistory/early-civilrights/brown. html http: //www. pbs. org/newshour/bb/social_issues/july-dec 07/littlerock_09 -25. html
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