But what about the role of the media in this fight? There were swarms of reporters around the school from all across America and from abroad. TV was in its infancy, the broadcasts were in black and white, there were no fancy graphics but it was riveting TV and the pictures it broadcast into the living rooms across America made the Civil Rights struggles not just an abstraction but reality for many. Everyone could see hatred and prejudice first hand. The pictures helped spur Eisenhower, who believed strongly in the rule of law and the Constitution, to act.
As we drove up to the school and VC across the street we noticed this extremely well-cared for old gas station on the corner. There were also pictures and magnets of it inside the VC. I asked the Ranger why this gas station was important and he said that the gas station had the only phone in the area that reporters could use. They could not use any of the phones in the neighboring homes. This gas station became the press base from which the reporters could call in their stories.
At the end of the school year Ernest Green, the only senior among the 9, graduated, the first African American to graduate from Central High School.
‘It’s been an interesting year. I’ve had a course in human relations first hand.’
Ernest Green
The next year Governor Faubus set a date for the people of Little Rock to vote on whether they wanted integrated schools or no schools.
By a vote of almost 3 to 1, they voted for no high schools and during the 1958 - 1959 school year the high schools were shut in Little Rock. Fifteen and sixteen year old children had no access to local public education for an entire year. Many were forced to leave the state. Some studied to enter college early. Others boarded buses daily to travel miles for classes in other cities. Parents and siblings coped with separations from their teenage students who moved in with relatives or with friends around the state. Students, themselves, coped with life-changing disruptions from friends, family, and classes. Interestingly, even though classes were not held, football continued at all campuses by suggestion of the Governor. The School District briefly experimented with live television teaching on local stations.
Finally behind the leadership of the Women’s Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools, WEC, the people of Little Rock slowly but surely realized that integrated schools were better than no schools at all and they reopened the schools the following August with limited segregation. 2 of the Little Rock 9 and a third African American attended. Although integration involving substantial numbers of students did not occur until the 1970’s, the reopening of the schools brought to a close an important chapter in the fight for equality in America.
What a study in courage these 9 young people were. Ordinary teenagers they were called but I think they were extraordinary. They walked out of their homes and onto the front line in the Civil Rights struggles in America, struggles which are still going on. In 1997, at a ceremony in front of Central High School President Clinton awarded each of the 9 the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. They earned it.
Let me also mention the 10th person involved: Daisy L. Gatson Bates, the Arkansas NAACP President. It was she who recruited these 9 special students, counseled them, advocated for them while they were in school and it was at her home they all met before they went to school the first time. Without her guidance, this might not have happened. During this time, her house was under attack and she and her husband had to close their newspaper because of advertising boycotts led by segregationists. She couldn’t even drive down 14th street from her home to the school without fearing for her life. Today, that street is named in her honor, the Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive. The Bates’ home has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
Amazingly well-done NHS and we learned a lot and enjoyed our time there. As you enter, you are faced with this poster on the wall. Only one group in this picture was: white males. Others such as white women, American Indians, enslaved people, free African Americans, and other racial and ethnic groups were not. Good question.
We then headed on over to the Little Rock National Cemetery where soldiers from all the wars fought by Americans from the Civil War to the Vietnam War are buried. It was much larger than I had thought it would be and much larger than others we have seen. But we spent some time there wandering among the graves and paying out respects to those who have given their lives so that I can enjoy my life in America.
The State Capital came next but it was a Sunday and the only others in the Capitol were a dance class and their mothers posing for their official annual pictures. The capital had a wealth of information about Arkansas, their governors (I was happy to see that the bust of Governor Faubus was in a small dark niche on the third floor), the wars fought by Arkansans (pronounced Ar kan’ sans) their state instrument,
their state cooking implement and others. Beautiful dome and it was all marble.
Finally, you knew a walk would be coming, didn’t you? And, we chose the longest bridge built in America built specifically for walkers and bikers. It’s 4226’ across the Arkansas River and over a lock and dam. It was designed to connect North Little Rock and Little Rock and to ‘improve the health and fitness of residents and guests.’ If anyone had any doubts about spending money for a bridge just for walkers and bikers, they should come out today to see all those who are using it. It was crowded with bikers, walkers, families and individuals all enjoying the day and the bridge.
Unfortunately, Gary found a special friend who followed his a bit as Gary tried to swat him away but finally he found a nice tender spot on Gary’s ear and took his due. Gary swatted again, he flew away and Gary was left alone. Luckily, his ear did not even swell up though it was tender for a while
Long day, but educational and fun. Time to head home and its pizza for dinner tonight.
Later in the evening about 9:30 we strolled along the river to see the lights dancing on the two pedestrian bridges over the Arkansas River. The lights were color coordinated and alternated with a light show. Blue lights danced on one bridge and then an orange yellow light show decorated the other bridge. How fun. If you ever are in Little Rock at night, be sure to check out the bridges.
No comments:
Post a Comment