Warriors DOnt Cry
In the book Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the author describes what her reactions and feelings are to the racial hatred and discrimination she and eight other African-American teenagers received in Little Rock, Arkansas during the desegregation period in 1957. She tells the story of the nine students from the time she turned sixteen years old and began keeping a diary until her final days at Central High School in Little Rock. The story begins by Melba talking about the anger, hatred, and sadness that is brought up upon her first return to Central High for a reunion with her eight other classmates. As she walks through the halls and rooms of the old school, she recalls the horrible acts of violence that were committed by the white students against her and her friends. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the case of Brown vs. The Board of Education that schools needed to integrate and provide equal education for all people and it was unconstitutional for the state to deny certain citizens this opportunity. Although this decision was a landmark case and meant the schools could no longer deny admission to a child based solely on the color of their skin. By 1957, most schools had began to slowly integrate their
On September 3, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown (Trickey), Carlotta Walls (LaNier), Terrence Roberts, Gloria Ray (Karlmark), Thelma Mothershed-Wair, and Melba Patillo Beals set off for school. Melba Beals proved to be a warrior throughout all of the events that surrounded the integration of Central High School. The governor of Arkansas, Orvel Faubus, had sent National Guardsmen to the school the previous day to surround the building and keep all African-Americans from entering its doors. This gave the white students at the school something to be excited about. Melba recalled a confrontation with a woman at church whom she had known for many years. As the year went by the insults decreased gradually, but the hatred still remained. An enormous mob outside was waiting for them but they pressed on. Fearing her life, Melba moved to California to live in a safer environment where she could continue working Toward her educational dreams. Even others didn't think the South was quite ready for the change. She was allowed to come back to the school for the next semester but then permanently expelled for calling a white girl who provoked her "white trash". On September 20, a judge ruled in favor of the students and prevented Governor Faubus from using the National Guard to prevent entry into the school. She patiently waited until the 1959 ruling was announced that declared Governor Faubus's bill unconstitutional, forcing him to reopen the doors. Unfortunately, the people of Little Rock, Arkansas, had not been introduced to this way of life. President Eisenhower had sent in federal troops to make sure that the scene remained safe and that the students made it through the school day without harm.
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