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The Little Rock Nine

Sixty years ago, nine Black students walked into an all-White high school in Little Rock, Arkansas—and into history.

By Joe Bubar

By Joe Bubar

This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in the February 20, 2017, issue of Scholastic News Edition 5/6. 

This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared in the February 20, 2017, issue of Scholastic News Edition 5/6. 

Everett Collection Historical/Alamy Stock Photo

U.S. troops escort African-American students from Central High School in 1957. 

On September 4, 1957, Elizabeth Eckford woke up feeling nervous about her first day of school. This was no typical first day. Elizabeth, then 15 years old, and eight other students had been picked to become the first Black students to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

The plan was for the Little Rock Nine, as the students came to be known, to travel to school together that day. But Elizabeth’s family didn’t have a phone, so she didn’t get the message. 

When Elizabeth arrived at school, she found herself alone and facing an angry mob. Members of the all-White crowd screamed at her, spit at her, and even threatened to kill her. 

“It was absolute terror,” recalls Elizabeth. “These people were on my heels, screaming at me—screaming ugly, ugly things. I was afraid for my life.”

Though she was trembling with fear, Elizabeth continued on to the school’s entrance. There, troops armed with rifles blocked her from entering. The eight other Black students soon arrived and were also turned away. The photo of Elizabeth walking through the crowd ran in newspapers across the country. Many people, Black and White, were outraged by the way the students had been treated. The Little Rock Nine’s struggle just to go to school became one of the key events of the civil rights movement.

It was September 4, 1957. Elizabeth Eckford, then 15 years old, woke up feeling nervous about her first day of school. This was no typical first day. Elizabeth and eight other students had been picked to become the first Black students to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

The students came to be known as the Little Rock Nine. The plan was for them to travel to school together that day. But Elizabeth’s family didn’t have a phone. So she didn’t get the message. 

Elizabeth arrived at school. She found herself alone and facing an angry mob. Members of the all-White crowd screamed at her. They spit at her and even threatened to kill her. 

“It was absolute terror,” recalls Elizabeth. “These people were on my heels, screaming at me—screaming ugly, ugly things. I was afraid for my life.”

Elizabeth was trembling with fear. But she continued on to the school’s entrance anyway. There, troops were armed with rifles. They blocked Elizabeth from entering. The eight other Black students soon arrived. They were also turned away. The photo of Elizabeth walking through the crowd ran in newspapers across the country. Many people, Black and White, were outraged by the way the students had been treated. The Little Rock Nine’s struggle just to go to school became one of the key events of the civil rights movement.

Separate and Unequal

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

By the 1950s, segregation had long been a part of life in many Southern cities, including Little Rock. Kids like Elizabeth grew up with racist laws that kept them apart from White people. They had separate restaurants, bathrooms, and schools. The all-Black schools were often run-down and overcrowded, and they lacked the resources that other schools had.

“The White kids always had more courses, more labs, more everything,” says Elizabeth.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case called Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in public schools was illegal. But many cities were slow to integrate their schools. 

By the 1950s, segregation had long been a part of life in many Southern cities, including Little Rock. Kids like Elizabeth grew up with racist laws that kept them apart from White people. They had separate restaurants, bathrooms, and schools. The all-Black schools were often run-down and overcrowded. And they lacked the resources that other schools had.

“The White kids always had more courses, more labs, more everything,” says Elizabeth.

In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case called Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in public schools was illegal. But many cities were slow to integrate their schools. 

Facing a Mob

Bettmann/Getty Images

The Little Rock Nine study together while they wait to be allowed to go to Central High School.

The school board in Little Rock planned to integrate Central High in 1957. Elizabeth applied, believing she would get a better education there. She was one of a small group of Black students selected to attend Central High. But Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus had other ideas. He ordered troops from the Arkansas National Guard to prevent those students from entering the building on September 4. 

For nearly three weeks after the school year started, the nine students stayed home and waited. Finally, a judge ruled that Faubus must remove the troops. Still, a riot broke out when the Little Rock Nine returned to school on September 23. The police made the Black students leave after only a few hours, fearing for their safety. 

President Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to step in, sending more than 1,000 U.S. Army troops to the school to protect the Little Rock Nine. On September 25, the soldiers escorted the nine students into Central High.

The school board in Little Rock planned to integrate Central High in 1957. Elizabeth applied to go to Central High. She believed she would get a better education there. She was one of a small group of Black students selected to attend the high school. But Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus had other ideas. He ordered troops from the Arkansas National Guard to prevent those students from entering the building on September 4. 

For nearly three weeks after the school year started, the nine students stayed home and waited. Finally, a judge ruled that Faubus must remove the troops. Still, a riot broke out when the Little Rock Nine returned to school on September 23. The police made the Black students leave after only a few hours, fearing for their safety. 

President Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to step in. He sent more than 1,000 U.S. Army troops to the school to protect the Little Rock Nine. On September 25, the soldiers escorted the nine students into Central High.

A Difficult Year

Once the Little Rock Nine were in school, life didn’t get much easier for them. Each of the students was assigned a soldier who escorted him or her between classes. But the nine students had no protection in classrooms, restrooms, or the cafeteria. They were constantly taunted and attacked by White students.

“They knocked us down stairways. One boy tried to throw acid in a girl’s face,” says Elizabeth. 

The Black students needed great courage not to fight back. They knew that they might get kicked out of school if they did. One of the nine was expelled for standing up to White students who harassed her. 

But Elizabeth and the other seven Black students endured and finished the school year. Their bravery led to the integration of all public schools in Little Rock within the next few years. Today, they’re remembered as heroes in the fight against discrimination.

“In a segregated system, there’s no such thing as equality,” says Elizabeth.

Once the Little Rock Nine were in school, life didn’t get much easier for them. Each of the students was assigned a soldier who escorted him or her between classes. But the nine students had no protection in classrooms, restrooms, or the cafeteria. They were constantly taunted. They were often attacked by White students.

“They knocked us down stairways. One boy tried to throw acid in a girl’s face,” says Elizabeth. 

The Black students needed great courage not to fight back. They knew that they might get kicked out of school if they did. One of the nine was expelled for standing up to White students who harassed her. 

But Elizabeth and the other seven Black students endured and finished the school year. Their bravery led to the integration of all public schools in Little Rock within the next few years. Today, they’re remembered as heroes in the fight against discrimination.

“In a segregated system, there’s no such thing as equality,” says Elizabeth.

A Civil Rights Hero

AP Images

Many important battles of the civil rights movement were won in courtrooms. And one of the top lawyers in the fight for equality was Thurgood Marshall. He successfully argued to end school segregation in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. In 1957, Marshall was also part of a team of lawyers that helped convince a judge to order Governor Orval Faubus to withdraw National Guard troops from Central High School. 

In 1967, Marshall became the first Black person appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that historic event. 

A Civil Rights Hero

AP Images

Many important battles of the civil rights movement were won in courtrooms. And one of the top lawyers in the fight for equality was Thurgood Marshall. He successfully argued to end school segregation in the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. In 1957, Marshall was also part of a team of lawyers that helped convince a judge to order Governor Orval Faubus to withdraw National Guard troops from Central High School. 

In 1967, Marshall became the first Black person appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that historic event. 

1. Why did Elizabeth Eckford face an angry mob by herself on the morning of September 4, 1957? 

2. Explain the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. 

3. What is the meaning of the subheading “Separate and Unequal”?

4. In the last section, the author states, “Once the Little Rock Nine were in school, life didn’t get much easier for them.” What evidence supports this claim? 

5. Use information from the sidebar to explain the role Thurgood Marshall played in the integration of Central High.

1. Why did Elizabeth Eckford face an angry mob by herself on the morning of September 4, 1957? 

2. Explain the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. 

3. What is the meaning of the subheading “Separate and Unequal”?

4. In the last section, the author states, “Once the Little Rock Nine were in school, life didn’t get much easier for them.” What evidence supports this claim? 

5. Use information from the sidebar to explain the role Thurgood Marshall played in the integration of Central High.

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