Little Rock High School, 1957

What was Little Rock High School?

Little Rock was a high school in Arkansas that desegregated. Although 25 African American students were accepted at the school, the threats and violence levelled at them meant only nine attended.

When did the incident at Little Rock High School take place?

The incident at Little Rock High School happened in September 1957.

Why did the incident at Little Rock High School take place?

There are 4 main reasons for the incident at Little Rock High School:

• ❖ In the Brown versus the Board of Education of Topeka case of 1954, the Supreme Court had ruled 'separate but equal' in education was unconstitutional and therefore all schools had to integrate.
• ❖ In 1957, Little Rock High School was instructed to desegregate by the Federal Court.
• ❖ 25 students were chosen out of those that applied to the school, but due to threats from the white community only 9 students tried to attend in September 1957.
• ❖ The Governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, deliberately tried to stop the 9 black American students from going to Little Rock and there were massive protests by the white community.

What happened at Little Rock High School?

There were 6 main events during the Little Rock High School incident:

• ❖ The Arkansas state troops were ordered by Governor Faubus to stop the 9 African American students from entering the school 'to protect them'.
• ❖ A massive group of white protesters had gathered, shouting abuse and threats.
• ❖ The NAACP wanted the 9 African American students to travel together for protection, but Elizabeth Eckford did not get the message and arrived alone.
• ❖ Elizabeth Eckford faced the angry mob and was prevented from entering the school by state troops. The media covered the incident and there was an outcry.
• ❖ President Eisenhower now intervened by issuing a presidential order that removed the state troops and sent in federal troops to escort the 9 students to school.
• ❖ Federal troops protected the 9 students for a whole school year.

What was the reaction to the incident at Little Rock High School?

Pictures and reports were shared across the USA and in other countries, with some 250 reporters relating events. The news caused outrage in America and beyond.

What did the NAACP do to help the students in Little Rock High School?

The group of African American students were advised by the NAACP to meet and walk to school together supervised by ministers.

What went wrong on the first day of school in Little Rock High School?

One of the students, Elizabeth Eckford, did not receive the message from the NAACP and went to Little Rock High School alone as planned. She arrived alone to find a waiting mob, who yelled insults and called for her to be lynched.

What did the governor do to stop desegregation in Little Rock High School?

Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas took 4 main actions to stop integration:

• ❖ He arranged huge protests against desegregation outside the school gates.
• ❖ He also ordered 250 state troops to stop the African American students from entering.
• ❖ He ignored President Eisenhower's request to desegregate the school when they met on 12th September, 1957.
• ❖ He closed all schools in the state to avoid integrating them in September 1958.

What were the loopholes used by state governments to avoid desegregation after the incident at Little Rock High School?

The Arkansas state government used the following 6 loopholes to avoid desegregation:

• ❖ The following school year, 1958 to 1959, Faubus closed every school in Little Rock to stop integration happening.
• ❖ Just one school year at a time was desegregated.
• ❖ Only a few African American pupils were accepted into each school.
• ❖ A few schools in a given area were desegregated to comply with the law, but segregation remained in force at the rest.
• ❖ Testing methods were introduced that were rigged against African American students being successful.
• ❖ At some schools, protests and riots were used as an excuse to keep African American students from attending, saying it was for the children's own protection.

What was the significance of the incident at Little Rock High School?

The incident at Little Rock was significant for 5 main reasons:

• ❖ The president's role was important. President Eisenhower intervened to support integration despite the fact he was personally opposed to desegregation being enforced.
• ❖ Although 'state rights' existed, a state could be overruled by the federal government to uphold Supreme Court decisions.
• ❖ The media had a massive impact on public opinion. America and the world were horrified by the violence used by white protesters against the 9 students and some black American reporters.
• ❖ This made civil rights activists realised the importance of gaining media attention in future campaigns as a means to put pressure on the federal government to support change.
• ❖ It was announced that massive resistance to desegregation would be illegal.