Social Class In Warriors DonT Cry By Melba Pattillo Beals

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

Many would say that America was built on the principle that “all men are created equal” and that U.S. citizens are all given equal treatment, opportunities, and so on. But, is that really the case? Was Thomas Jefferson’s famous words, forever inscribed in the Declaration of Independence, meant for everyone? Taking a look back into America’s short (at least when compared to other countries) history, the phrase “all men are created equal” doesn’t really seem to correlate with the circumstances of that century. Africans were enslaved and forced to do hard, strenuous labor or else be forced to endure a beating by the slave master. But don’t forget, all men are created equal. It says so in the constitution. Fast forward a couple of hundred years where all men still aren’t equal, but are close to it.

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.

Transferring to a new school is a hard experience for a normal kid alone. Going to a new, all-white school as a black student in 1957 makes the experience even tougher. In the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, Melba and eight others, known as the Little Rock Nine, risk everything in order to attend their local high school, Central High. Living in Little Rock, Arkansas, these students take the courageous step to attend an all-white school in a society filled with segregationists. The Little Rock Nine battle the bullies of Central High, trying to avoid acid in their eyes to eggs in their hair. Through this rough experience, the Nine graciously receive important help from many allies. Throughout the memoir, Melba receives protection

Melba Pattillo Beals, the main character in the memoir “Warriors Don’t Cry”, never gave up and persevered when fighting for racial equality. When Melba was walking into school one day she thought to herself, “‘I squared my shoulders and tried to remember what grandma had said: God loves you child; no matter what he sees you as his precious idea’” (Beals 76). Melba along with her eight schoolmates made history when they decided to integrate Central High School. They wanted to show their friends that you always hold your head high, be determined, and never give up. While enduring, Melba taught her family and friends to also persevere. Fortifying her family in faith helped her to make it through the year. While standing her ground after many challenges Melba thought to herself, “‘I knew for certain something would have to change it I were going to stay in that school. Either the students would have to change the

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.

In her memoir Warriors don’t cry, Melba Pattillo Beals describes her experiences as she became one of the first nine black students educated in an integrated white school called central high school. The author describes how she survives a harrowing year helping to integrate central high school in Little Rock Arkansas in 1957. The three main ideas that I’m going to talk about are integration, racism, and courage.

Throughout history, Colored folks and White people do not seem to get along based on appearance.Men and women of color weren't treated fairly, no matter where they're at without being looked down upon. Most Americans have divided themselves into non-mixed neighborhoods. The “Jim Crow” laws on the state level stopped them from entering classrooms, bathrooms, theaters, trains, juries, and legislatures.Also, In the case of “Plessy v. Ferguson” in 1896, the U.S. Supreme court said that racially separate facilities are equal, it does not violate the Constitution. Segregation, the court said, was not a discrimination. Segregation supported the legal system and the police, but beyond the law, violence was going on around the citizens. The Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camellia, and other terrorists murdered thousands of African-Americans, to prevent them from voting and participating in public life. In Arkansas, Central High School was one of the firsts to integrate. Nine teenagers got together to go to Central High, they did not go in to protest but to get a better education. The Little Rock Nine didn't see it as a way to bring in violence, but it all started in Arkansas, in 1957, a conflict against two different points of views. However, In Warriors Don't Cry Melba Pattillo Beals presents the idea that emotional strength, Determination, and confidence are necessary to gain freedom and equality for all.

September 23rd, 1957 Melba and the other eight African American students enter Central High is strolling past the segregationists/mob. Melba's teachers all had different points of view on how she should be treated. There were teachers who allowed the white students to taunt and say things like “We can kick the crap out of this nigger” “Nigger... Nigger…”. There were other teachers who didn't allow the white students to move or they could just move themselves to the principal's office. Also, there were teachers who helped her when the mob

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

We saw prejudice and discrimination throughout the book. For example, when Lafayette’s was charged with a crime due to hi, been associated with who did it. When LaJoe lost her benefits from the state due to her on and off husband using her home address and when collecting unemployment benefits which LaJoe did not claim as income coming into the home. In both instances, the Rivers were treated as if they were liars and criminals. Because of Lafayette being from the inner city, there was this predetermine thought about any youth that lived in the inner city from the court system. LaJoe was treated with disrespect by the welfare office because of the prejudgment they had formed about people that lived in the inner city. Due to the location in which they stayed, the importance of healthy living condition was not a priority to the city. They were forced to live in the vicinity of garbage, broken sewer systems, dead animals, etc. Also, the children were forced to either stay in their apartments or play on the railroad tracks because the city had only a few areas for them to play. These areas had become run down and it was unsafe for kids to play in. It is unsure why the was such neglect for those areas of the inner city, but one could only think that it had to do with how this race has been treated for years.

In the beginning chapters of the book, we get a glimpse of the typical home and community of an African American during segregation. Many Africans Americans were too adjusted to the way of living, that they felt

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.

The realtion of social class to power, is a belief about equality of opportunity that seems to be ignore by former upper social mobility. According to Domhoff's statement about the relation of social class to power, "No group or class had power in America, but only influence". In other

This analysis is about Shenice Marrishow’s chosen video of Michael Jackson's "They Don't Care About Us." The performance in this video does show Sample’s argument of contestation over prestige, through inequality. While speaking of class, Sample said that class “happens in everyday encounters-I like to call them rituals-of inequality…where deference is offered and received and where one’s bearing/demeanor shifts to reflect one’s place in the scheme of class” (Sample 45). Shenice is correct in making the point that, when it comes to class and inequality, these are things that affect everyone. At the beginning, the video clearly says that the this song does not favor one race over the other, rather it speaks out against the injustice done towards