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Little Rock Nine Research Paper

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The events that took place surrounding the Little Rock Nine Crisis, are still embedded in the minds of many. The Little Rock Nine made sure to show people to always stand up for what is right, no matter how difficult the situation is. This event caused many things to occur and has completely changed schools forever. In 1945, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was brought to the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall, the lawyer who represented the African Americans, won the case. The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Although these decisions were established, some schools in the South still did not allow African Americans into their schools. A plan was made by the Little Rock, Arkansas school board to gradually integrate the schools (2, page 1). There were two pro-segregation groups that assembled to protest against the plan. These groups were the Capital Citizens Council and the Mother’s League of Central High School. Even though this opposition took place, nine African American students registered at the Arkansas Central High School for the very first time in …show more content…

For example, Melba Patillo was kicked, pounded, and even had acid thrown in her face. There was also an occurrence when white students burned an African American effigy in an empty lot across the school. Gloria Ray was pushed down a staircase and the Little Rock Nine were not allowed to take part in extracurricular activities. Minnijean Brown got expelled in February 1958 for getting even with the attackers. The students were not the only ones who faced harassment. When Ray’s mother refused to take her daughter out of the school, she was fired from her job with the State of Arkansas (3, pages 4-5). The only senior of the Little Rock Nine, Ernest Green, was the first African American graduate at Central High School (1, page

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