May 17th, 1954. The U.S Supreme Court finally ruled that the “segregation of America’s public schools was unconstitutional”. This seemed to be a huge step forward in the right direction but, of course, it was faced with much resistance. Take Little Rock Central High School, for example. Like many school boards, the Little Rock, Arkansas School Board had decided to adopt a plan for gradual integration. The first group of schools to integrate would be high schools in September of 1957. However two main groups aimed to stand in the way of this: the Capital Citizens Council and the Mother’s League of Central High School. However, despite this clear opposition, it didn’t stop the Little Rock Nine. The Little Rock Nine were a group of schoolchildren, who were the first African Americans due to attend Central High Shool. They had all planned to arrive at the school together on that fateful Septemeber day. However, one of the nine, Elizabeth Eckford, never found out that these plans had in fact changed. So, Elizabeth arrived at school all alone.
Little did she know that waiting for her at the school were mobs of white students, as well as recently employed military forces. Elizabeth soon realized that she could not enter the school, because soldiers armed with rifles lined the entrance. The aforementioned mobs of white classmates were shouting and spitting at Elizabeth, chanting “whites have rights too!” Elizabeth kept trying to enter the school for a while, but she eventually decided to turn around and walk back to her bus stop. She did so looking determined and unfazed. With her books under one arm, she walked away from the mob with a straight back and a resolute expression on her face. She did not engage with the protestors and remained calm and assured that she was doing the right thing. Then, at that very moment, a camera clicked. Photographer Will Counts had immortalised the historic moment Central High School had to come to terms with their first black schoolgirl. The contrast between the snarling crowds and Eckford’s stoic demeanour proved to be one of the most powerful photographs in American history. Elizabeth had become the face of the Little Rock Nine and of the fight to integrate schools.
15 years later all public schools were finally integrated in Little Rock. The Little Rock Nine got the recognition they deserved when they all received the Congressional Gold Meal in 1999 from President Bill Clinton. That incredibly powerful scene had inspired so many Americans to fight for integration and desegregation. Elizabeth Eckford’s courage was remarkable that day and marked a really important turning point in the history of the civil rights movement as a whole. Especially this month, being Black History Month, we should celebrate the influence of “The Little Rock Girl” for being such an excellent example of an inspirational young woman.
