Little Rock, Arkansas (1957)

May 22, 1954 the school board in Little Rock, Arkansas stated that they would start desegregation schools following the Brown vs. Boarder of Education ruling. A compromise was made when Superintendent Virgil Blossom's proposes to let the superintendent choose which African American's would be allowed to ender the previous white-only schools. This decision was made to comply the Brown decision but to do it in the smallest manner possible. The plan was to start integration of all high schools in 1957 and wait until 1963 to start with elementary schools. The NAACP wanted immediate integration but the federal court decided that the Blossom plan followed the constitution. A Capital Citizens' Council (CCC) was formed as an opposition group to desegregation. They arranged rallies as well as other things promoting white supremacy.

In 1957, 9 african american students were chosen to attend the all-white high school in Little Rock. The governor requested assistance from the federal government with upholding order when the school opened, expecting to be met with angry and violent anti-desegregation supporters. The request was however declined and the problem was expected to be handled locally. Governor Faubus ordered the Arkansas National Gurad to surround the school, not to protect the 9 african american students but to keep them from entering the school. Despite the setbacks the 9 students attempted to attend school on again on September 4th 1957. They were met by angry white supremacists, both adults and teenagers. Elizabeth Eckford arrived late that day and was hounded off campus by a yelling crowd. September 20th 1957 Judge Davies ordered the Arkansas National Guard to an immediate halt to stop them from blocking the african american student's enrolment. After 1000 white Americans had gathered in an angry crowd on September 23rd Eisenhower finally acted on the request from Mayor Woodrow Mann and ordered 1200 troops from the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock. On September 25th the Little Rock nine were escorted into the High School by the US army. On October 1st the National Guard replaces the Army troops. The Nine students had to endure endless harassment in school, the youngest of them being only 14. Only 1 of the 9 didn't graduated when she in December was suspended for spilling food on two white boys. Martin Luther King, Jr, was in the audience when the first of them graduated on May 27th, 1958.

Little Rock Nine:
 * Melba Pattillo Beals (Born, 1941)
 * Minnijean Brown-Tickey ( Born, 1941)
 * Elizabeth Eckford (Born, 1941)
 * Ernest Green (Born 1941)
 * Gloria Ray Klarmark (Born, 1942)
 * Charlotta Walls LaNier (Born, 1942)
 * Thelma Mothershed-Wair (Born, 1940)
 * Terrence Roberts (Born, 1941)
 * Jefferson Thomas (Born, 1942. Died, 2010)