Little Rock Nine

• Who was Elizabeth Eckford?

  One of the little rock nine who was photographed as she was trying to enter Little Rock High School.
• What was the political context surrounding Governor Orville Forbus's actions?

  He changed his mind about desegregation due to facing an election.
• What percentage of black pupils were accepted to Little Rock Central High School?

  25 percent
• How many black pupils were prepared to join Little Rock Central High School?

  Only nine black pupils were prepared to join.
• What did Governor Forbus decide to do to prevent the Little Rock Nine from joining the school?

  He used 250 state troops from the National Guard.
• What happened to Elizabeth Eckford when she tried to enter the school?

  She faced an angry mob of hundreds of white adults and was sent back by state troops.
• What landmark ruling was made in the Brown v. Board of Education case?

  It ruled that segregated schools were unconstitutional.
• When was the Brown v. Board of Education case decided?

  In 1954
• What was the public reaction to the events in Little Rock?

  The images of rioting shocked the world and made the USA look bad.
• How did President Eisenhower respond to the situation in Little Rock?

  He sent 1,000 federal troops from the 101st Airborne Division.
• What was the purpose of sending federal troops to Little Rock?

  To escort the pupils into the school and ensure integration.
• What was the conflict highlighted by the events in Little Rock?

  The tension between states' rights and federal law enforcing the Constitution.
• What did Governor Forbus do in September 1958?

  He closed all public schools in September 1958 and reopened them in September 1959 to prevent integrated schools.
• What types of opposition did black families face during integration?

  Violence from white citizens councils and the Ku Klux Klan.
• How did some schools circumvent integration?

  By introducing entrance tests that were biased against black pupils.
• What was the role of the Congress of Racial Equality during this time?

  They produced a set of rules for non-violent resistance for black pupils.
• What were the rules for non-violent resistance provided by the Congress of Racial Equality?

  • Be clean and neat at all times
  • Be polite to teachers and other students
  • Don't shout or fight, no matter how provoked
  • Stick together
• What was the intended outcome of the Brown decision?

  To integrate schools.
• Who enforced integration in Little Rock?

  President Eisenhower using federal troops.
• What were the broader implications of the Little Rock Nine events for civil rights?

  • Highlighted the struggle for integration
  • Showed the violent backlash against civil rights
  • Demonstrated the need for federal enforcement of laws
  • Illustrated the determination of black families and supporters