The Declaration of Independence states, “all men are created equal.” But in the nineteenth century, only whites were born with equal opportunities and free men. African Americans were imported as slaves and worked long, hard hours in the hands of their white owners. Unfortunately, African American torture did not end until the 1960s. Although blacks were slaves for many years, their fight for their educational rights caught the attention of the world in the 1960s. In the early age of the United States educational system, African American students had many difficulties integrating and successfully engaging in the classroom. There has been a long progression in the way African Americans have been viewed throughout history. They were first viewed …show more content…
After Brown v. Board of Education was viewed as unimportant, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People searched for cases that could challenge the segregation in school systems in the South (McNeal, 2009, pg. 2). One case the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People found compelling was Ruby Bridges. Ruby Bridges was the first African American student integrated into an all-White elementary school in the South (pg. 6). Ruby Bridges explains, “though I did not know it then, nor would I come to realize it for many years, what happened in the fall of 1960 would forever change my life and help shape the nation. When I think back on that land and all that has occurred since, I realize a lot has changed. I also know there is much more to do done. That fateful walk to school began my journey, and we all must work together to continue to move forward” (pg. 7). The future opportunities created for African Americans would have never happened without Ruby Rose. Another integration story happened during 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas when nine African American students, escorted by National Guard troops sent from the President, were accepted into an all-White high school (pg. 10). These desegregation actions helped back up the ruling decision made during the Brown v. Board of Education primary and secondary educational levels as they supported the fight against segregation and discrimination (pg.