Warm Up # 6

Civil Rights and Schools Brown v. the Board of Education and The Little Rock Nine Civil Rights and Schools

Brown v. Board Read Supreme Court Case Study 37 Answer the questions in your handout.

Little Rock School Integration Crisis Read the short excerpt on your handout

Little Rock – Background 1955 – school districts told to integrate “with all deliberate speed” The Little Rock School Board adopted a plan for integration After some pressure from the NAACP In September of 1957 they would begin integration at the high schools The first school to integrate would be Central High School

Little Rock Nine – Background Nine students, recruited by the NAACP president of Arkansas All students were vetted to ensure they had the strength and determination to face the resistance they would encounter Prior to starting school they all participated in intensive counseling to help them understand what to expect and how to respond.

Timeline September 2, 1957 Faubus calls in National Guard to keep black students from entering Central High In a televised address, Faubus insisted that violence and bloodshed might break out if black students were allowed to enter the school

Timeline September 4, 1957 The Little Rock Nine arrived for the first day of school at Central High School Eight of the nine arrived together Arkansas National Guard prevented any of the Little Rock Nine from entering Central High School Elizabeth Eckford arrived alone and faced the jeering crowd

Timeline September 14, 1957 Ike met with Faubus, Ike wants to ensure that the National Guard isn’t preventing entry Faubus says he intends to allow integration, but that it will take time in order to avoid violence President Eisenhower met with Governor Faubus in Newport, Rhode Island Faubus requested the meeting, Eisenhower wanted to ensure that the National Guardsmen would not be preventing the entry of African-American students to Central High School Faubus told Eisenhower of his intent to respect the decisions of the US District Court regarding the desegregation of schools, though he admitted it would take time and that part of his job as governor was to “protect the people from violence in any form”

Timeline September 20, 1957 US District Court Judge Davies ordered that the Arkansas National Guard be removed In order to maintain order, the National Guard will be replaced by the Little Rock Police Department

Timeline September 23, 1957 The Little Rock Police escort the Little Rock Nine to school amidst protests The Little Rock Police were able to sneak the nine students in early, before a majority of the crowd had gathered. When the protestors discovered that the nine had been snuck in a riot ensued outside and the Little Rock Nine were removed from the school to ensure their safety

Timeline September 24, 1957 President Eisenhower sent in 1,200 members of the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell, Kentucky The 101st is placed in charge of the 10,000 federalized National Guardsmen Picture is of Eisenhower talking to the 101st prior to D-day during WWII

Timeline September 25, 1957 The Little Rock Nine attend their first full day of classes Escorted by the 101st Airborne

Timeline May 27, 1958 The oldest Little Rock Nine student, Ernest Green, is the first black student to graduate from Central High Picture is of Green receiving his diploma from his high school principal

Little Rock Nine Videos Eyes on the Prize (from 6:03-30:00) https://vimeo.com/11875218

Analysis Reflect upon the method of integration used in Little Rock. Could the process of integration have gone more smoothly? Why or why not?