Support

People protesting for equal rights after the nine’s integration attempts (Georgetown.edu)

Contributions from the Community

The community of Little Rock contributed significantly to the integration movement. One such activist for the Little Rock movement was Daisy Bates, she led the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) protest against the school board. All parents of the nine were even very supportive of the movement, recognizing the potential risks like job loss and death threats.

The home of NAACP state president Daisy Bates, where the Little Rock Nine met each day before and after school, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2002. (NPS)

“When my tenth-grade teacher in our Negro school said there was a possibility of integration, I signed up. We all felt good. We knew that Central High School had so many more courses, and dramatics and speech and tennis courts and a big, beautiful stadium.”
- Minnijean Brown

Support From Influential Activists

Famous civil rights activists like Jackie Robinson played an important role in fostering support and goodwill for the integration movement. His letter to Eisenhower significantly boosted public awareness and created a sense of urgency for action.

A letter to the president by famous baseball player and activist Jackie Robinson begging for support in Arkansas

Community members and activists' impact aided a broader fight for basic educational rights.