Integration In Little Rock's Central High School

In the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author describes what her reactions and feelings are to the racial hatred and discrimination she and eight other African-American teenagers received in Little Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation period in 1957. She tells the story of the nine students from the time she turned sixteen years old and began keeping a diary until her final days at Central High School in Little Rock. The story begins by Melba talking about the anger, hatred, and sadness that is brought up upon her first return to Central High for a reunion with her eight other classmates. As she walks through the halls and rooms of the old school, she recalls the

In chapter two of Leymah Gbowee’s memoir, Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer, and Sex Changed a Nation at War, turmoil is happening all around her. The chapter starts with Gbowee graduating from High School and enrolling into the University of Liberia. Shortly after she enrolls it is announced that rebel forces have invaded Liberia. Gbowee’s parents move to a newer house in Monrovia. Then Gbowee experienced her first encounter with guns when there was shooting near her house, along with her grandmother, Ma Korto, pushing one of the children outside. After that, she and her family were taken to St. Peter’s church to stay in the residential compound. Shortly after she arrived at St. Peter’s, Gbowee saw a young man shot in the street. The streets seemed like battlegrounds and people prayed their houses would become fortresses. When Gbowee describes the way the beginning of the war affects her personally, she overlooks the deeper problem of how fear and courage alter the ways in which the people around her fight the daily battle of surviving. In neglecting to see the suffering of others, she shows that she has not yet, “come of age” and still has a lot of maturing to do.

After her year as a Central High student was over and she was able to reflect upon her experiences, Melba came to the conclusion that the adults that watched the white children torment and abuse she and her friends were simply afraid. They were afraid of change. They were afraid that the social structure that placed them above blacks was going to crumble, leaving them at the mercy of people who they’ve kept down for so long. Most of all, Melba learned they were afraid that once blacks started going to the same school as their children, they may begin to date, marry and make families with their children.

Little rock, Arkansas 1957 in Warriors don’t cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, her and eight other African American, high school students integrates Central High School. Only eight of the nine that begin at Central High lasted for the full year. Melba and her eight friends face new wars every day. These are some of the traits she uses to survive her year and overcome her enemies at Central High School. Melba relies on her courage, faith, and not only her physical strength, but her mental strength as well.

One of the ways Melba is able to demonstrate how inequity is spread throughout Central High School of protection

In a heartbeat, without even thinking about it, I leaped up and picked up my books as a shield to fend him off.” Melba persevered through lot this day when this happened. The main thing that put her off the edge is when the kid pulled a switchblade knife on her. She persevered through that by fending off the kid. She also overcame at the same time, standing up for herself. She stood up for herself because she stood up against the white kids who were bullying her badly. That was one of the things that happened while she was segregating the all white school that she persevered through. Another thing that happened was she got rained on by flaming papers. “Once more I looked up to see those grinning, jeering faces as flaming paper rained down on me. Please, God, help me, I silently implored. I had to hurry. I might not be able to swat the next one and put it out with my hands. Then what? Would my hair catch fire? I had to stop them. I picked up my books and tossed one upward as hard as I could, in blind aim to hit my attackers.” She persevered through everything that the white kids threw at her. Like this one instant, she persevered through flames and pushed and shoved to get of the trouble that she was in.

Melba Pattillo Beals is the main character in this book. She was fourteen years old when she attended Central High in Little Rock, Kansas with eight other black students. While Melba attended the high school, she was spat on, slapped, and several sickening insults would be shouted at her. These actions led to Melba to not even fight back but to simply just say thank you and walk away. This was one of the factors that built up her courageous attitude that stuck with her throughout the rest of her journey.

In the story Warriors Don't Cry, Melba and the Little Rock 9 was the first high school students to integrate and they integrated to Little Rock Central High. Melba and the Little Rock 9 went through a lot during the school year, like bulled by white students, killing threats, being bombed/caught on fire, hurt physically/mentally, etc. What Melba had to use strength to get through integration, like the strength of being a warrior. Also, Melba had many sources of strength, like her mom, her grandma, Danny/Melba's guard, religion, keeping hope, etc. Lastly, Melba had to stay calm in the situations she was in so she used her strength to help her.

Author: Melba Pattillo Beals Book title: Warriors Don’t Cry. Publisher: Pocket Books City of publication New York Year of publication: 1994. Description: This book is a memoir by one of the Little Rock Nine. It recollects the first year of the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, AK.

The author's purpose for writing Warriors Don't Cry is tell a personal story of her own to remind the world when peace was no option for a black person. She wanted to have her story out in the world for others to learn and read from. Melba went through much in her life only because she was born different. While normal white teens had fun with boyfriends and went to parties, she went through a mental and physical war. Melba wrote her story with no sugar coating, she gave what she felt and what she did. She wanted to write a story where it would give the reader a glimpse at the life a colored person once went

Melba Pattillo Beals is a very determined young lady. She presents many strong personal characteristics in her time of integrating Central High School. However, she faces many adversities through this battle for her freedom and equality. During her rough time Beals questions her faith and family. She later learns that her strength and security is in God. In the book Warriors Don’t Cry Melba Pattillo Beals presents the idea that courage, faith, and fear are vital in her search for freedom and equality.

Ralph Ellison’s short story “Battle Royal,” is set in the deep south during the late 1940’s era. Racial tension in the south has always been exorbitantly high. In the 1940’s keeping segregation is still a priority for half the population in the southern states, slavery may be abolished but the physical act of welcoming African-Americans as “Americans” is far from the minds of many Americans. Ellison’s short story accentuates this idea of racial tension and social standards, between the elites of the town and the very intelligent former high school graduate. The story touches on a sensitive topic that America has yet to realize, and it is that people that are considered to be minorities can be subjected to be oppressed, based on their

In the world of segregation crises “Battle Royal” by Ralph Ellison is about a boy who just finished high school years and receives an invitation to present his valedictorian speech to the wealthy white men in town. Ellison’s protagonist reminisces about his naive life, 20 years before when the story was published in 1947. He grew up in the deep south of America in a town where prejudicism and racism was prominent. During this time the South is segregated because of the Jim Crow Law. The story shows the conflict between the races of black society and white society back in the early 1900s when segregation laws was in place. As I was reading the story I can see clearly that the battle the African-Americans are fighting for, are both mentally and physically. “Battle Royal” helps us understand the struggle of a young black man who is trying to survive in a society where white people are dominant over the lives of the black people. The young man is feels conflicted on how to live a life that is successful and prosperous in life. He is torn between his grandfather’s last words of advice and the wishes of the white society in which he longs to please but because of the lack of equality between black and white in the setting he is unsuccessful in achieving anything.

Blindly, our nation’s black population fought, not always knowing what for, just as the boys in this story fought. The segregation of schools, restaurants, and other public facilities were issues that were fiercely fought over.

On the first day that Melba Patillo Beals went to school, she thought it was a nightmare. There was a huge mob outside Central High School, along with the Arkansas National Guard soldiers keeping them out. The image of Elizabeth Eckford really shows how it was. White people were surrounding them, cursing at them, of course saying the word “nigger”, and occasionally striking them (1994). It was so bad that Melba had to take the keys to their car from her mother and run away to escape. Imagine the sight of Melbas mother screaming at her “Melba, take the keys. Get to the car.