Melba is my name. I was one of the first black students in the
United States to attend an all-white high school. My friends and I
had to fight racism in its many forms throughout our lives. I had to
transition from a being a normal teenage girl to one of the tough
warriors. When i started school at Central High School, I had no
idea of the strong discomfort I would had needed to face. I didn't
think I was going to hate school so much. All the the name calling
was very harsh, they would say something like, "Niggers, niggers,
the niggers are in. They're in here! Oh, God, the niggers are in
here!" And class was even worse with disrespectful kids and
teachers who didn't care. The only teacher that I was thankful for
and prayed for was Mrs. …show more content…
We literally had guards
following us anywhere and everywhere to keep us safe. I am to
thankful for the guards for doing there jobs and always kept me
safe. Plus with my Grandma India’s help, I learned to give up all of
the things that other teenagers care about which were friends, free
time, boyfriends/girlfriends, and other activities, but instead I
focused on the larger issue of integration. I soon quickly realized
that I will not have a normal high school experience, but I will
forever have the knowledge that I have fought on the right side and
according to Grandma India, I fought God’s fight. At the end of my
high school year at Central I had given up on friends and I broke up
with my boyfriend, Vince. I had reasonable purpose which was to
survive to the end of the year, and to prove to the segregationists
that I, Melba, can’t be beaten. When Melba is at Central, she has
to assume an almost superhuman demeanor. Whenever she would
get slap or or spit on, she learns to say “thank you” and not even
fight back. The religion I rely on so heavily makes her seem even
more saintlike, which alienates many people who want to be
United States to attend an all-white high school. My friends and I
had to fight racism in its many forms throughout our lives. I had to
transition from a being a normal teenage girl to one of the tough
warriors. When i started school at Central High School, I had no
idea of the strong discomfort I would had needed to face. I didn't
think I was going to hate school so much. All the the name calling
was very harsh, they would say something like, "Niggers, niggers,
the niggers are in. They're in here! Oh, God, the niggers are in
here!" And class was even worse with disrespectful kids and
teachers who didn't care. The only teacher that I was thankful for
and prayed for was Mrs. …show more content…
We literally had guards
following us anywhere and everywhere to keep us safe. I am to
thankful for the guards for doing there jobs and always kept me
safe. Plus with my Grandma India’s help, I learned to give up all of
the things that other teenagers care about which were friends, free
time, boyfriends/girlfriends, and other activities, but instead I
focused on the larger issue of integration. I soon quickly realized
that I will not have a normal high school experience, but I will
forever have the knowledge that I have fought on the right side and
according to Grandma India, I fought God’s fight. At the end of my
high school year at Central I had given up on friends and I broke up
with my boyfriend, Vince. I had reasonable purpose which was to
survive to the end of the year, and to prove to the segregationists
that I, Melba, can’t be beaten. When Melba is at Central, she has
to assume an almost superhuman demeanor. Whenever she would
get slap or or spit on, she learns to say “thank you” and not even
fight back. The religion I rely on so heavily makes her seem even
more saintlike, which alienates many people who want to be