The Little Rock Nine

Who are they? The Little Rock Nine are a group of nine African American students who started the integration of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Public’s Reaction Arkansas Govener Orval Faubus opposed integration He ordered the Arkansas National Gaurd to surround Central High and keep all blacks out of the school

Federal Government’s Reaction Judge Ronald N. Davies granted an injunction that prevented Faubus from using the National Guard Faubus went along with the court order but said the kids should still stay away if they wanted to stay safe At this point, President Eisenhower intervened

Eisenhower President Eisenhower called members of the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division to protect the students The nine were escorted back into Central for their first full day on September 25th, 1957, under federal troop escort

At School They suffered constant harassment that included getting kicked, shoved, spit on and called names. This harassment was so bad the federal government assigned them all personal guards.

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Continued Minnijean Brown was the only one of the Nine to respond to the harassment. She dumped her bowl of chili on two white boys who were harassing her and referred to a white girl who had hit her as “white trash.” She was suspended and later expelled. She has said “I just can’t take everything they throw at me without fighting back.”

Continued On May 27th, 1958, Ernest Green became the first African American to graduate from Little Rock’s Central High School. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. attended his graduation ceremony.

Post-Script Voters chose to close all four of Little Rock’s high schools to prevent further desegregation efforts. Three of the Nine moved away and remaining five took classes at the University of Arkansas. In 1959, Faubus’s actions were declared unconstituational and the schools were reopened. Jefferson Thompson and Carlotta Walls were the only two out of the original Nine reassigned to Central High and they graduated in 1959.

Brown Melba Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine, wrote a book about her experience You will read a short excerpt about what she endured Directions: Read the excerpt & write bullet points describing what you learned Be prepared to share with the class