Little Rock, Arkansas, September Fourth, 1957. The night before nine black teens, now infamous as the Little Rock Nine, had no idea of what tomorrow would be like. They could take guesses about their near future, but none would accurately depict the horribly racist events of September Fifth. There were to enroll in the all-white highschool, Little Rock Central High. To enter, black students interested in attending white only schools were put through a series of rigorous interviews to determine whether they were suited for admission.  School officials interviewed approximately eighty black students for Central High School, the largest school in the city.  Only nine were chosen, Melba Patillo Beals, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Carlotta Walls Lanier, Terrance Roberts, Jefferson Thomas, Minnijean Brown Trickey, and Thelma Mothershed Wair.^[1] Eight of the nine students decided to go as a group to the highschool, but they couldn't contact the ninth, arguably the most influential, Elizabeth Eckford, who's face and struggle was shown around the world. ^[2]

Depicted here is the Arkansas National Guard, who at first the Little Rock Nine supposed were there to protect them, but really were sent by Arkansas governor Orval Faubus to keep them out.

    This is perhaps one of the most influential