On This Day In Balck History Sept 4 - Little Rock Crisis
In 1954, the US Supreme Court ruled in the famous Brown v Board of Education case that segregation of schools in the American South was unconstitutional. Despite this ruling, integrating the schools was not a simple act.
The conflict over segregation in schools reached its height at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Nine black students attempted to enroll in 1957, prompting a fierce backlash from the pro-segregation state government of governor Orval Faubus.
On September 4, 1957, the Arkansas National Guard were mobilized by Faubus to prevent the integration of the students. The intervention of President Dwight D. Eisenhower proved decisive: he ordered the National Guard be federalized, taking them out of the Governor's control, and ordered the US Army to support the integration of the school.
READ MORE: Little Rock Crisis https://www.onthisday.com/photos/little-ro...
The conflict over segregation in schools reached its height at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Nine black students attempted to enroll in 1957, prompting a fierce backlash from the pro-segregation state government of governor Orval Faubus.
On September 4, 1957, the Arkansas National Guard were mobilized by Faubus to prevent the integration of the students. The intervention of President Dwight D. Eisenhower proved decisive: he ordered the National Guard be federalized, taking them out of the Governor's control, and ordered the US Army to support the integration of the school.
READ MORE: Little Rock Crisis https://www.onthisday.com/photos/little-ro...
The nine students did not find it easy at Little Rock - they were regularly abused by the white students. Nevertheless integration eventually occurred in schools as a result of the Brown v Board decision.