The Little Rock 9 Began as 200

May 8-May 11, Little Rock, Arkansas

Little Rock, AR qualified for the Civil Rights Trail when government officials, supported by overt and covert tactics used by Little Rock residents, refused to allow and violently opposed integration of the Little Rock school system. 

In Context

It's 1957, two years after the murder of 14 year-old Emmett Till. No one was ever held accountable for his murder. It's also two years after Rosa Parks' bus ride in Montgomery, AL, which sparked sit-ins and freedom rides all over the south.

Legal precedent has been set by the U.S. Supreme Court in Brown v. Board (1954), which struck down 'separate but equal', finding that separate educational facilities are inherently unequal. It was followed by what is known as Brown II, which required desegregation of schools 'with all deliberate speed'. And yes, that language was vague enough to cause glacially-paced planning where desegregation could be pushed off into future decades. 

200 Black students filed to enroll in Little Rock Central High School

After Brown II, the NAACP worked to register students all over the south in whites-only schools. Little Rock school board decided to desegregate and wanted to start with kindergarten, adding a grade level each year. Whites complained about the plan and fought to have integration begin with high school. Two hundred Black students filed to enroll. You can imagine the machinations that took place for that number to be whittled down to about 90. Out of those 90, how do we end up with just 9? Intimidation, violence, and threats caused Black parents to withdraw their students. 

On the morning of September 4th, there were 10 students getting ready for school, but only 9 attended. The tenth student was withdrawn after their father was threatened with the loss of his job. 

Daisy Gatson Bates

Daisy Bates was the President of the Arkansas NAACP, and she spearheaded the registration effort for students. She also opened her house to the students as a place to study and get support at the end of each school day. 

On the night before the first day of school, Mrs Bates was told by the school that no parents should bring the students to school because it might 'create trouble'. She decided to accompany the students herself, and telephoned each family to let them know. One student, Elizabeth Eckford, did not have a phone. Mrs. Bates intended to go to her house in the morning and collect her, but she forgot. 

The picture at the top of this post is Elizabeth Eckford walking down the street towards the school alone. She's wearing a dress she made herself because at that time, Black people could not use fitting rooms--you would have to try on your clothing at home and take your chances, or make it yourself. Members of the crowd spit on Ms. Eckford and her dress. She tried to enter the school, but the National Guard had been given instructions by Governor Faubus to prevent the students from entering the school. The entire crowd of white people AND the National Guard were there to prevent nine Black students from attending school.

Needless to say that was not the Little Rock Nine's first day of school. It wasn't until September 25th, when Eisenhower sent the Army down to escort the students to school that they finally had their first day.

Of course that wasn't the end of the story. Bullying, violence, and intimidation against the Black students continued on a daily basis. White students broke glass and put it on the shower room floor. Then they would turn the lights out when the Black students were showering so they had to pick their way through the glass in the dark. Students would light notebook paper on fire and throw it over the bathroom stall door at Black students. Some were too traumatized to continue at Little Rock. 

In May 1958, Ernest Green, succeeded in being the first Black graduate of Central.

Little Rock Nine

Melba Patillo Beals

Elizabeth Eckford

Ernest Green

Gloria Ray Karlmark

Carlotta Walls Lanier

Jefferson Thomas

Minnijean Brown Trickey

Terrence J. Roberts

Thelma Mothershed-Wair

Want to know more?

A link to the National Park Service site for Central

Here's a film about Daisy Bates. PBS, 54 minutes

Additional photos from the Little Rock desegregation can be seen here. Note that there are a couple of things in the photos that are happening today: There is one of a boy holding a sign that says "Race Mixing is Communism"--today, some republicans like to label racial equity and anti-police brutality protests and initiatives as 'communist' or 'socialist'. The confederate flag was and still is used as a symbol of racial hatred and segregation. These flags were not carried at Little Rock High School as a matter of 'heritage'. Lastly, there is an attack on a member of the media. Yes, he is Black, but we know from records of that day that other members of the media were attacked as well.

This is me greeting Orval Faubus' bust in the Arkansas State Capitol.