Little Rock Nine

Event: The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.

Background:

• This event followed the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision (1954), which declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

• Despite the ruling, many Southern states, including Arkansas, resisted integration.

The Nine Students:

1. Ernest Green

2. Elizabeth Eckford

3. Melba Patillo

4. Terrence Roberts

5. Jefferson Thomas

6. Minnijean Brown

7. Gloria Ray

8. Carlotta Walls

9. Thelma Mothershed

Opposition:

• On the first day of integration (September 4, 1957), the students were met with violent protests and harassment from white students and community members.

• Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus called in the National Guard to block the students from entering the school.

Federal Intervention:

• President Dwight D. Eisenhower intervened by sending the 101st Airborne Division to protect the students and ensure they could attend classes safely.

Impact:

• The bravery of the Little Rock Nine drew national attention to the Civil Rights Movement.

• The event helped to challenge segregation in schools and other public spaces across the South.

• It demonstrated the federal government's commitment to enforcing desegregation and the rights of African Americans.

Legacy:

• The Little Rock Nine are celebrated as heroes in the struggle for civil rights and are recognized for their role in advancing educational equality.

• Their story remains an important symbol of the fight against racism and for equality in the United States.