The Little Rock Nine: Pioneers of Desegregation

1. The Little Rock Nineat Little Rock Central High School

2. Structure • General Information • The nine Students • Elizabeth Eckford • First Day in School • Videoclip • Armed Escort • The following time

3. General Information • African-American students who visit the the Little Rock Central High School in 1957 • They were the first African-American students after the desegregation in 1954 who visited the Little Rock Central High School • They made history when they were prevented from entering the High School by the national guard of Arkansas at their first school day • Many white people demonstrated against the visit of the nine black students infront of the school

4. The mobs followed and insult them • It came to conflicts between black & white people infront of the school • Only federal troops send by President Eisenhower enabled a safe visit of the school • What happened in the year 1957 in Little Rock is one of the most important events in the African-American Civil Rights Movement

6. The nine Students Elizabeth Eckford describes the Walk through the white mob at her first school day • Ernest Green: First black student to graduate from Central High School • Elizabeth Eckford: The only one of the nine still living in Little Rock • Jefferson Thomas • Dr. Terrence Roberts: He earned a doctorate degree as clinical psychologist • Carlotta Walls Lanier • Minnijean Brown Trickey: Writer and social worker Winterstar Productions is presently filming a documentary on her life • Gloria Ray Karlmark • Thelma Mothershed-Wair • Melba Pattillo Beals: Author and former journalist for People magazine and NBC ''They moved closer and closer ... Somebody started yelling ... I tried to see a friendly face somewhere in the crowd—someone who maybe could help. I looked into the face of an old woman and it seemed a kind face, but when I looked at her again, she spat on me''.

7. First Day in School • At their first schoolday they were prevented from entering the High School • Mobs of white people demonstrated against desegregation and wanted to block the nine students from entering the school • Governor Orval Faubus send National Guard Troops of Arkansas to support the white Demonstrators • The nine students were followed by masses of people who insult them and spat on them • When African-American Reporters appeared the white people started to hit them

9. Videoclip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT9VRXwahz8&feature=related

10. Armed Escort • President Eisenhower send federal troops to enforce the situation • On the next day the nine students were protected by the troops and were able to enter the High School • After this the 101st Airborne Division transport the nine students every day from their home to school http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSdLPNQSa4k&feature=related

11. A hard time • Physical and verbal abuse → Melba Pattillo Beals had acid thrown in her eyes → Minnijean Brown Trickey gets suspended six days, because she dropped her lunch on a boy → she gets suspended for the whole year, because of more confrontation

12. „The lost year“ • The following year all public school gets closed • Re-opened as private schools for whites → avoid Integration • After one year Federal court declared this unconstitutional • Only Jefferson Thomas and Carlotta Walls joined nine rock again

13. Sources • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Nine • http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Nine • http://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=723 • Youtube for Videos