Shelley Tougas - Little Rock Girl 1957: How a Photograph Changed the Fight for Integration

1896

U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Plessy v. Ferguson upholds separate but equal accommodations under Jim Crow laws

May 1954

In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court rules that separate is not equal and segregation in public schools is unconstitutional; the Little Rock School Board says it will follow the Supreme Courts decision and integrate its schools

May 1955

The Little Rock School Board approves a plan to gradually integrate its schools, beginning with high school in 1957; advocates for integration want the board to move faster, but a judge supports the boards plan

August 1957

Segregationists hold public meetings to build opposition to the school boards plan

September 4, 1957

Governor Orval Faubus sends the National Guard to Central High School to prevent nine African-American students from entering the school; soldiers turn away 15-year-old Elizabeth Eckford, who arrives first, and the other eight

September 23, 1957

A mob of more than 1,000 whites protests at Central High School while the nine African-American students enter through a side door; with the crowd threatening violence, police remove the nine students to keep them safe

September 24, 1957

President Dwight D. Eisenhower sends federal troops to Little Rock and federalizes the National Guard

September 25, 1957

Troops escort the nine African-American students into Central High School for their first full day of classes

February 20, 1958

Following months of conflict at the school, the Little Rock School Board seeks the courts permission to delay integration

May 27, 1958

Ernest Green becomes the first black student to graduate from Central High School

Summer 1958

A judge allows the school board to delay integration, but the U.S. Supreme Court orders the school board to continue with its plan to integrate schools; the school board decides to start school in September as planned, but Governor Faubus closes all the schools

September 27, 1958

Little Rock residents vote overwhelmingly to stop integration; the citys public high schools are closed, and Little Rock students are forced to enroll in private schools, travel to schools outside the city, or take correspondence courses

December 6, 1958

A new school board is elected with members evenly divided between pro- and anti-integration

May 5, 1959

Moderate school board members walk out after segregationist members attempt to fire 44 teachers and administrators who favor integration

May 25, 1959

Segregationist school board members are recalled and replaced with moderates

June 18, 1959

A court rules the school-closing law unconstitutional, and the school board announces schools will reopen in the fall

August 12, 1959

Little Rock public high schools reopen nearly a month early; Faubus tells segregationists that it is a dark day and they should not give up the struggle; segregationists march to Central High School to protest, but theyre turned away by police; two of the Little Rock Nine return to Central for their senior year

Fall 1972

Fifteen years after the Little Rock Nine encountered an angry mob and armed guardsmen, Little Rocks public schools are fully integrated