After the landmark case, Brown v Board of Education, the Little Rock school board agreed to desegregate their school system. Like most of the population at the time, the community of Little Rock fought back against the idea. Despite the backlash, the plan continued. In September of 1957, nine African American students were the first to enter the previously all-white Little Rock Central High School. Prior to their first day of school, Governor Orval Faubus ordered the National Guard to block the nine students from entering the building, saying it was for their own safety. The students were met with the National Guard and an aggressive mob blocking the entrance to the school when they arrived. Since this went against the ruling of Brown v Board of Education, about 16 days later a federal judge ordered the removal of the National Guard. Finally on September 23, the Little Rock Nine entered the school through a side door with a police escort. Fearing for the safety of the nine students, the school sent the students home after about three hours of classes. The persistence of the local school district and nine students allowed for one more final attempt at integrating the nine students into classes. On September 25, 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower sent U.S. Army troops to individually guard the students through regular class attendance.  

The Little Rock Nine became an integral part of the ongoing fight for equal opportunity in public education in the United States, which is seen through the extreme efforts needed just to ensure the safety of these Black students in class. This quickly became a critical event in the African American Civil Rights movement. The ruling of Brown v Board of Education left our nation with a promise, and this was one of the first events to move forward with that promise. The confrontation happening here drew attention to racism and civil rights in the United States and alluded to the battle between federal and state power. 

Having these nine black students attend a previously all-white high school was a major historical event and a big step forward for African American civil rights. But the part of this event which is not as well-known was Governor Faubus getting reelected and shutting down all of Little Rock’s schools in order to remain segregated. Many schools in the south followed the example of Little Rock, which goes to show that even with a federal law put in place, racism can still very well exist and affects the education and opportunities of people of color.  

Works cited:  

Little rock nine: Overview. Research Guides. (2021, June). Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://libguides.marquette.edu/Little_Rock_Nine.