The Little Rock Nine: The Push for Educational Rights with Government Responsibility
A Struggle for School Integration Watched Nationwide
"The shocking thing to me in 1957 was the number of whites who didn’t participate in the aggression, who wouldn’t do anything but look. Neighbors would express dismay, but wouldn’t do anything, wouldn’t speak out against it, would go ahead and close their doors to it."
~ Perlesta Hollingsworth, a Black woman who lived near Central High
Thesis
In 1954, the Supreme Court decided Brown v. Board of Education, declaring racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. However, this decision was extremely unpopular in the South, and resistance developed. The Little Rock Nine were African American students going to Central High School for integration purposes, and were pivotal for the Civil Rights Movement nationwide. The responsibilities of the federal government were also observed, as they nationalized the Arkansas National Guard to ensure the rights of these students.
By Venkatram Chandra, Edward Zhang, Ihsan Lishar
Entry Title: The Little Rock Nine: The Push for Educational Rights with Government Responsibility
Division and Category: North Puget Sound, Senior Division
Word Count: 1178 words
Process Paper Word Count: 486 words
The Nine