Schools were segregated and were meant to be
"separate but equal". However, all-black schools were
not as good and had less equipment and educated staff
Linda Brown, a black child, had to walk 21
blocks to her all-black high school when there
was a better, all-white one just 7 blocks away
The NAACP got her father Oliver
Brown (and other black parents) to try to
register their children at white schools
that were closer to them but they were
denied it...
… so they took the matter to the District
Court. The Supreme Court ruled the
desegregating of schools in May 1954
Nothing really happened, as Eisenhower feared it
wouldn't work, so in 1956 schools were organised
by area rather than skin colour.
Seen as a big victory for the Civil Rights Movement, the law
was changed in their favour
Little Rock Nine, 1957
The Supreme Court had ruled the desegregation
of schools three years ago, and the new
organisation of schools by area one year ago
Arkansas - where Little Rock Central High School
was - was in the south, and the southern states
made little effort to force desegregation.
Orval Faubus was against the desegregation, and
wanted to maintain all-white and all-black schools.
Nine black students were registered at the school but on their first day,
Faubus got the National Guard to prevent them getting into school.
Faubus kept the National Guard there to stop them
getting to school, even though Eisenhower tried to
persuade him to obey the ruling.
Eventually the Nine were smuggled into school through a van. This caused
an angry white mob to start fights with blacks and reporters while the police
did nothing to stop them.
Because of this, Eisenhower ordered 1,100 paratroopers of
the First Airburne Division to escort the Nine into school and
they stayed there until November. Eisenhower took control of
the National Guard who stayed to protect the Nine for a year
Little Rock
Nine was
broadcast on
TV and many
Americans
were shocked
This meant that many Americans had sympathy for the Nine and could
see the big problems facing blacks in the 50s