Lesson 13: 1957 Little Rock, Arkansas

Question 1

What happened in Arkansas in September 1957?

Answer 1

9 black students led by Elizabeth Eckford tried to enrol in the white school

Question 2

Who prevented integration in Arkansas?

Answer 2

Orval Faubus, Arkansas Governor.
Said it would cause public disorder
Organised National Guard to stop the black students

Question 3

What did Eisenhower do?

Answer 3

Sent in federal troops to force Brown Ruling although he was reluctant.
He said he had an ‘inescapable’ responsibility to do so.

Question 4

What positive impact did Little Rock have on civil rights campaign?

Answer 4

• showed importance of media to influence moderate whites
• blacks less reliant on court cases, enforced the law themselves
• cities like Atlanta desegregated their schools to avoid same violence and publicity

Question 5

How did Little Rock negatively impact civil rights campaign?

Answer 5

• Showed that neither local not national authorities were keen to enforce the Brown ruling
  -integration in the central high school didnt happen until 1960 and 1972 for the other schools in Little Rock

Question 6

How did Orval Faubus respond to federal intervention?

Answer 6

He closed several schools in Arkansas rather than integrate them.
He was re-elected 4 times.
Eisenhower didnt respond