Veronica R. Serna Composition November 16, 2001 Rock Nine In the late 1950's and early 1960's, America faced difficult issues. A country that represented freedom and opportunity could not seem to deliver its promise equally among citizens. Perhaps one of the most important challenges Congress undertook in the century was to desegregate schools. One significant event embedded in the minds and hearts of Americans is the hatred at Central High School Little Rock, Arkansas. It captured the hatred and discrimination that existed in the heart of the nation. It was 1957 and President Eisenhower had shown little support for the African American community. He felt the problem was a matter of the heart, not of the federal government. He thought the federal government's action on this situation would not make matters better, but worse. His lack of support for the African American community opened up, in the South, an opportunity to demonstrate against discrimination. African American students were subjected to verbal as well as physical abuse. As a result of discrimination, angry mobs pursued nine African American students who stood up for their rights. Protests were a way people showed their disapproval of integration. People demonstrated their opinion on integration; violence against the nine students escalated. On the first day of school, under orders of state Governor Orval Faubu, the National Guard prohibited the nine from entering the all-white school. This type of negative behavior continued throughout the first month of the school year. Regardless of the extreme hatred surrounding the school, the black students still attempted to attend until they were forced to stay home. They were not the only ones affected by this crisis. The principal and the school's staff were threatened not only by upset mobs, but also by organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan. Little Rock, Arkansas was in chaos. At the time, television was an important means of communication. America was shocked at the scenes it captured. Since the governor of Arkansas decided to take action against the federal ruling, President Eisenhower had no choice but to reverse his earlier opinion. Although he verbally admitted it was a decision based on national supremacy rather than an integration issue, he became the first president since the Civil War and Reconstruction to use federal troops to enforce authority and to support the rights of black citizens. From being spit on, tripped, beaten and threatened, the nine students who had practically given up hope to attend the all-white school were motivated to spread integration. Responding to Governor Fauba's actions, President Eisenhower sent armed troops to Little Rock Central High School to defend authority. The nine African American students arrived at the school again on the 23rd of September. Federal troops escorted them and patrolled the area. Personal troops were assigned to each black student. The troops enforced integration as well as community safety. In the end, the negative atmosphere existing at Central High School caused America to take action and move to fulfill its promised dream to every citizen. The event in Little Rock, Arkansas showed Americans that the president has authority to enforce court orders with federal troops. In addition, it revealed that African Americans could and would endure anything in order to obtain equal education. This crisis became one giant leap towards integration and motivated Southern African Americans to take action in securing their rights. |