Orval Faubus

Eisenhower refused to force states to desegregate unless a Governor requested it, fearing that he would overstep the states’ right to oversee education. However, he changed his stance when Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus used the National Guard to uphold segregation of Little Rock Central High School. Eisenhower, keeping with his peaceful and professional stance, met with the Governor and calmly asked him to desegregate the school. When he did not, Eisenhower ordered…

While a democracy is based on majority rule, minority rights must not be disregarded. One of the principles of democracy includes a minority receiving equal opportunity to become a majority, and thereby providing competition for the majority of the time. Competition has potential to force a majority to become a minority, needing the protection of its rights to provide opportunity for it to become a majority again. Furthermore, the smallest minority is the individual. By protecting minority…

Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals tells a story of a then 16 years old girl and eight of her friend integrating Little Rock's Central High School. The nine students were Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Carlotta Walls, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas and Melba Patillo. The nine students soon became known as the Little Rock Nine. The integration of public schools in Little Rock took place after the 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v.…

Another highly active organization at this time was CORE (Congress of Racial Equality). CORE was founded in 1942 in Chicago . Members of CORE were highly active during the civil movement. Members of CORE were responsible of organizing historic protests such as sit-ins, Montgomery bus boycott, and freedom riders. Although many American citizens were silent during this tough time for people of color, others found their voice through protesting acts of prejudice. They were motivated by the hate…