WARRORS DON’T CRY By: Melba Pattillo Beals Presented By: Justin Quarles

BOOK SUMMARY Warriors Don’t cry is about a young high school student name Melba and the struggles her and her 8 other African American friends had to go through to go integrate at Central High School in Little Rock. In order to make things right and fair for African Americans in the US, the civil rights movement began in 1954, and one of the first big movement of this act was the 1954 supreme court ruling of the Brown V Board of Education and a promise of school integration. In desperation to prevent the Little Rock Nine from integrating Governor Faubus called in the Arkansas National Guard to keep Central High School Segregated.

BOOK SUMMARY The Govenor had the guards removed but at a cost as an angry mob fought through the barricades but thanks to the assistant chief of police gene smith melba and the little rock nine were smuggled to safety. The next day the president sent in the 101 st airborne division to serve as bodyguards. Melba and her friends were harassed all year, she had acid thrown at her but was protected by one of her favorite guards Danny. President Eisenhower withdrew the army and things got worse for the 9 students who only had the national guard for protection Melba was attacked in the shower and being held under water, one of her friends Minnijean got so mad that she threw hot chilli on two boys who were taunting her and she was suspended.

BOOK SUMMARY Melba later meets a white boy name link who saves her from another attack and they become friends and he warns her about all of the attacks the segregationists have planned for her and her friends. On may 27 th Ernie who was oldest of the little rock nine in the first African American to graduate Central High School. School board wanted to hold off integration for 3 years but the NAACP appeals it and they win the appeal. Instead of letting the 8 students come back Faubus shuts down all the High Schools in Little Rock. In the 1960’s they open back up but only allow two black students in and later they graduate. Melba later goes to college meets a white soldier name john they get married then split because Melba wants to be a journalist and her husband wanted a house wife. So Melba goes to journalism school and becomes a reporter. Her high school experience taught her we are all one.

EDUCATIONAL THEME Self-Reliance-high schools use social skills, and community support to survive school but melba had to use self-reliance because of the hostile environment Race Relations-during the time of this book black people didn’t have the same rights white people have and were viewed as inferior, at times we still struggle with this today even though its far better than what is was you still see some type of segregations through sports, clubs, just social gatherings, you even see it in college and the real world events. Innocence- Little Rock 9 innocent students just trying to go to a better school are having to become warriors to survive. It’s interested how the way society views us ends up changing us.

PERSONAL RESPONSE This book is a must read for those who want to look at one of the most important struggles in the civil rights movement. It was nice to know how the little rock 9 paved the way for students like me to attend nice schools Those who are unfamiliar with some of the early struggles for African Americans can now educate themselves Even though the world is still not perfect and fair, we as a society have come along way since the Civil Rights Era.