Today is the 50th Anniversary of the Little Rock Nine. These students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957 after segregation was put to rest and found to be unconstitutional. That didn't stop the whites in the area to protest the presence of these children and to threaten them with bodily harm. It got to the point that these children had to be escorted to and from school by armed U.S. Army officials and then later the National Guard. They were continually attacked physically and verbally by white students and their frickin' parents.
Take a minute to remember these courageous mothers and fathers.
Take a minute to remember these courageous mothers and fathers.
Ernest Green
The first black student to graduate from Central High School. He is currently managing partner and vice president of Lehman Brothers in Washington, D.C.
Elizabeth Eckford
She obtained a career in the U.S. Army in which she was a journalist. In 1974, she returned to Little Rock and is now a part-time social worker and mother of two boys.
Jefferson Thomas
He graduated from Central in 1960. He is an accountant with the U.S. Department of Defense and lives in Anaheim, Calif.
Dr. Terrence Roberts
He did not graduation from Central High. Instead his family moved to LA where he completed high school. He earned his doctorate and teaches at the University of California at Los Angeles and Antioc College and is also a clinical psychologist.
Carlotta Walls Lanier
She graduated from Central. She and Jefferson Thomas returned for their senior year in 1959. She graduated from Michigan State University and presently lives in Englewood, Colorado, where she is in real estate.
Minnijean Brown Trickey
This tuff cookie was expelled from Central High after dumping a bowl of chili on one of her antagonists in the school cafeteria. She moved to New York and finished her education there. Today Minnijean is a writer and social worker in Ontario.
Gloria Ray Karlmark
She graduated from Illinois Technical College and received a post-graduate degree in Stockholm, Sweden. She was a prolific computer science writer and at one time successfully published magazines in 39 countries. Now retired, she divides her time between homes in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Stockholm, where her husband's family lives.
Thelma Mothershed-Wair
She made a career at teaching. She lives in Belleville, Illinois, where she is a volunteer in a program for abused women.
Melba Pattillo Beals
Melba is an author and former journalist for People magazine as well as NBC. She now lives in San Francisco.
Elizabeth Eckford
She obtained a career in the U.S. Army in which she was a journalist. In 1974, she returned to Little Rock and is now a part-time social worker and mother of two boys.
Jefferson Thomas
He graduated from Central in 1960. He is an accountant with the U.S. Department of Defense and lives in Anaheim, Calif.
Dr. Terrence Roberts
He did not graduation from Central High. Instead his family moved to LA where he completed high school. He earned his doctorate and teaches at the University of California at Los Angeles and Antioc College and is also a clinical psychologist.
Carlotta Walls Lanier
She graduated from Central. She and Jefferson Thomas returned for their senior year in 1959. She graduated from Michigan State University and presently lives in Englewood, Colorado, where she is in real estate.
Minnijean Brown Trickey
This tuff cookie was expelled from Central High after dumping a bowl of chili on one of her antagonists in the school cafeteria. She moved to New York and finished her education there. Today Minnijean is a writer and social worker in Ontario.
Gloria Ray Karlmark
She graduated from Illinois Technical College and received a post-graduate degree in Stockholm, Sweden. She was a prolific computer science writer and at one time successfully published magazines in 39 countries. Now retired, she divides her time between homes in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and Stockholm, where her husband's family lives.
Thelma Mothershed-Wair
She made a career at teaching. She lives in Belleville, Illinois, where she is a volunteer in a program for abused women.
Melba Pattillo Beals
Melba is an author and former journalist for People magazine as well as NBC. She now lives in San Francisco.
Here's a nice link containing more information.
