A Very Brief History Of The Little Rock Nine

At the time in which segregation was a law, the door of opportunity was shut and it was African American students who opened it. These students were the Little Rock Nine. When they integrated, segregationists did anything they could to prevent it, even breaking the law. As the Little Rock Nine arduously entered Central High, they had no idea their lives would be turned completely upside down. This flip in their lives allowed them to have a voice. Going from being shunned upon for speaking up, to having power and a voice in deciding their future. Though it may seem President Eisenhower, the media, Governor Faubus -the governor of Arkansas at the time- or the segregationists had the most power, the Little Rock Nine out matched all of them.

Though others may argue only one student actually graduated from Central high, so the Little Rock Nine didn't end integration so they don't accomplish anything but this is invalid because though the others didn't graduate, this was solely because they weren't old enough, only one of the nine was (Pattillo). The Little Rock Nine successfully integrated and they accomplished more than anyone thought they would. They resisted against the mob’s threats and they continued even when their family’s stability was on the line. Such as when Governor Faubus, who was willing to break the law just to keep segregation, took away Mother Lois’s job until Melba were not not attend Central High (Pattillio). But that didn't stop her, they worked around it and continued their fight for integration. The only thing stopping the Little Rock nine to continue integrating was the fact that Faubus closed down all the schools in Little Rock. They walked the tightrope and made it as far as it was stretched (Danner). Though it may seem as if Faubus have won since he closed down all the schools in the end is a pathetic move on his part. The fact that he had to close everything to stop the Little Rock Nine proves his lack of power. It proves that he was worried that the Little Rock Nine would get more power integrating again in their second year since they already made such a big impact

The Little Rock Nine was able to obtain presidential attention as well as international attention, and that means something. Not just anything is brought up to the president or broadcasted all over the world on something like the New York Post, but the Little Rock Nine’s situation was (Pattillio). Others may argue that the president was the one who actually has to power to enforce the laws and was the one who actually made a difference with this publicity (An Address To The Nation), but this is simply irrelevant because the Little Rock Nine were the one who got this to the president, it was the Little Rock Nine who started the action. However, on the other hand other may also argue that the media brought the situation to the president meaning the media had the most power, but once this is incorrect because the media broadcasted it to the National News not to the President, and for the situation to have gotten to the president, the Little rock Nine must have the most power (Pattillio). The Little Rock Nine caused all this controversy and all the publicity which is a direct line drawn to having the most power, meanwhile they still kept their mental stability, and without power they wouldn’t have been able to