The Integration of Central High School Little Rock, Arkansas Essay

In 1954, the Supreme Court took a step in history with the Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka by stating that, “In the field of public education the doctrine of ‘separate but equal’, has no place. Separate facilities are inheritably unequal.” Little Rock, Arkansas a city in the upper south became a location of a controversial attempt to put the court order into effect when nine African American students were chosen to desegregate Central High in Little Rock. How did the Little Rock Nine affect America? Sanford Wexler stated in The Civil Rights Movement: An Eyewitness History,” its “effect would ripple across the nation and influence the growing Civil Rights Movement;” in addition, the Little Rock crisis forced the federal government

She was a well known civil rights activist and she is greatly remembered for her actions in the Little Rock desegregation case. Daisy was extremely close to the nine students who were fighting along side her for Arkansas to allow segregated schooling. During this point in time, one of the nine students, Elizabeth Eckford, walked into the screaming mob of people alone at the age of fifteen trying to attend school. The governor, Orval Faubus, did everything in his power to prevent the nine students from entering Central High School. He called in the National Guard to stop the students from entering at the front door. This situation got so out of hand that the President stepped in to prevent this from going any further. Daisy believed it was her duty to help these students and let all African Americans have the same opportunities as the others had. She was described as the poster child of the African Americans. Daisy had every intention on proving her point and winning this

The multiple forces in favor of integration were determined to gain access to Central High School and integrate public schools in the south. Before any integration was possible in the United States, the NAACP, or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was forced to file a lawsuit in the Federal District Court to integrate public schools immediately due to the public and state backlash towards integration (Beals 20). Judge Ronald Davies declared that Governor Faubus had “thwarted the court-approved plan of integration” furthering the movement to integrate Central High (Beals 68). After the lawsuit was settled, the Little Rock Nine was scheduled to integrate into Central High School. However, even after these

The Kids in the group were accepted to a white school about 60 years ago. Those kids were, Maurice Soles, Anna Theresser Caswell, Alfred Williams, “Poochie” Hayden, Regina Smith, Latham Gail Upton, JoAnne Boyce, Robert Thacker, Bobby Cain, Minnie Jones, and Alvah McSwain were all part of the Clinton 12. These 12 individuals changed the thought of themselves by going to 1 school. Bobby Cain, said in his in words, “The only thing I was thinking about was my saftey of entering the school”. I bet that was pretty scary for that whole group not just Bobby.

The Supreme Court planned to desegregate schools. “In September 1957, nine black teenagers hoped to break a racial wall at a school in Little Rock, Arkansas.” (Benson 1). Ernest Green, Minnijean Brown, Melba Pattillo, Terrence Roberts, Elizabeth Eckford, Thelma Mothershed, Gloria Ray, Jefferson Thomas, and Carlotta Walls were the students who became the little rock nine. (Lucas 7). Daisy Bates planned to help them get to school. (Lucas 5). “Many White Southern Parents did not want the black students to go school with white children.” (Lucas 13). All the black students were excited for the first day of school. (Lucas 12).

The victory that led to school desegregation in 1954 came with its gimmicks. Although everyone saw the best in the enforcement of the law, only some saw its flaws. Just because blacks were

When a federal judge order two African American students to attend University f Alabama, Governor George Wallace literally block the school entrance from the federal government to let these students into the admissions office

In 1954, the Supreme Court of the United States was confronted with the controversial Brown v. Board of Education case that challenged segregation in public education. Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case because it called into question the morality and legality of racial segregation in public schools, a long-standing tradition in the Jim Crow South, and threatened to have monumental and everlasting implications for blacks and whites in America. The Brown v. Board of Education case is often noted for initiating racial integration and launching the civil rights movement. In 1951, Oliver L. Brown, his wife Darlene, and eleven other African American parents filed a class-action lawsuit against the Board of Education

Escorted by the troops, the Little Rock Nine attended their first full day of school on September 25. There were tons of complaints and harassment but Faubus had his wish that the Little Rock Nine be removed.

Donald had completed his first year at Tougaloo, a negro school and he wanted to finish up his college credits at the University of Mississippi. Donald applied to the University of Mississippi if he gets admitted he’ll start the summer term June 10. Donald receive a bill blocking his enrolled in the University. The bill would allow state officials to examine each individual for records. Donald had several arrest stemming from racial demonstrations. Donald was an active member of the civil rights movement last summer which 1,000 people were arrested. Any applicant with a record could be turned down from the accepted into the University of Mississippi. The University told Donald, “That absolutely nobody has been accepted for the summer of any future

Another win for African Americans was in 1954, with the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, where the Supreme Court called segregation unconstitutional and consequently banned it. This was only the ending of a 16 year struggle for the ruling out of segregation. The abolishment of segregation in public schools did not rely exclusively on this case, but as well as on other cases which contributed to this ban. The case of Brown v. Board of Education was said to have been divided into two cases known as Brown I and Brown II. The Brown I case, was the 1954 abolishment of segregation, in 1955 Brown II, “held local school districts responsible for implementing Brown I and ordered them to desegregate schools ‘with all deliberate speed,’” (Unger). In previous years before the Brown cases, the National Association for the Advancement of Color People (NAACP), were accountable for the pro anti-segregation cases against school boards in

On Governor Faubus's behalf we believe that the Federal Government has surpassed its boundaries by interrupting our decision making on the integration of Central High School here in Little Rock. Now for this surpassment we would like to state that this is not called for because this decision is supposed to be confirmed by the state of Arkansas, not the Federal Government. We along with Governor Faubus do in fact oppose of the integration at Central High School District for several reasons which will be stated by myself and my attorney Ra’Quan Hamp.

Melba Beals says that “Governor Orval Faubus announced his refusal to support the integration of our state’s schools” (1994). To keep the nine students out of Central High School, he calls in the Arkansas National Guard, which is commanded by the State of Arkansas. Just imagine you’re going to school and upon arrival you see soldiers with guns trying to keep you out. One would not want to be anywhere near that school.

Nearly a century after the conclusion of the civil war, our nation was still not united. However, no longer was tension between the north and south threatening the welfare of our country, but instead the segregation of African-Americans. A primary goal in the civil war was abolishing slavery and although that was accomplished, many believed that blacks were hardly better off. However, a sense that change was necessary had swept across the United States. The desegregation movement was just beginning and the effects of the Little Rock Integration Crisis was one of the earliest stepping stones leading towards a united nation; this event helped set new standards of integration, while setting an

Our own educational people have testified that a suitable educational system at Little Rock cannot be maintained on an integrated basis. Why, then, should we even attempt to keep these schools open as public schools to blacks when, based upon this sworn testimony, they clearly do not meet our constitutional provisions for a suitable and efficient system of education? We have a perfect right to close these schools as public institutions, and once closed and found to be not needed for public purposes, the school board has the right and the authority under a law that has been on our statute books for 83 years, to lease these buildings and facilities to a bona fide private agency….