Little Rock Central High School

https://www.nps.gov/chsc/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_Central_High_School Little Rock Central High School (LRCHS) is an accredited comprehensive public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas. It is a National Historic Site. The school was the site of forced desegregation in 1957 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional three years earlier. In 1957, Little Rock Central High School was the epicenter of confrontation and a catalyst for change as the fundamental test for the United States to enforce African American civil rights following Brown v. Board of Education. Learn how the sacrifice and struggle endured by the Little Rock Nine have provided opportunities and opened doors for those seeking education around the world. From I-630, take Exit 2B (Dr. Martin Luther King Drive). Go south (away from the Arkansas State Capitol) to W. Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive. Turn right (head west) and continue 0.5 miles. The Visitor Center is on the right at the corner of W. Daisy Bates Drive and Little Rock Nine Way. Parking lot entrance is located just before the intersection with Park Street, directly across from the historic Magnolia/Mobil Gas Station and diagonally across from Central High School (still a functioning high school). Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Visitor Center The visitor center features a detailed exhibit with interviews, news footage, and audio/video recordings of those directly involved as well as accessible restrooms and a Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA) bookstore. Take the Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard exit (2B) off Interstate 630. Go south on Martin Luther King, Jr (away from Arkansas State Capitol). Turn right (west) onto Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive. The Visitor Center and Visitor Parking will be on your Right at the intersection of Daisy L. Gatson Bates and Little Rock Nine Way, directly across from the historic Magnolia Mobil Gas Station and diagonally across from Central High School campus. All visitors should park and begin visit at the Visitor Center. Little Rock Central High School The front facade of Little Rock Central High School Little Rock Central High School has been a public school since opening in 1927. Little Rock Central High School Visitor Center National Park Visitor Center Exhibits, restrooms and a bookstore are located in the National Park Visitor Center. Commemorative Garden Fall colors in the commemorative garden Spend some time in thought in the park's commemorative garden Elizabeth Eckford Bench a replica of a 1950s bus bench with Central High School in the background Images of the Little Rock Nine’s persistence and Elizabeth’s brave walk through the mob to the sanctuary of the bench captured their enduring legacy of “moral courage” that has inspired others around The Little Rock Nine The Little Rock Nine exit the doors at Central High under troop escort In September 1957, Little Rock Central High School became a symbol for change and a catalyst for transformation in the civil rights movement as the first fundamental test to the United States’ resolve to enforce African-American civil rights in the face Magnolia Mobil Gas Station The Magnolia Mobil Gas Station, a white stucco facility with terracotta roof The Magnolia Mobil Gas Station, the de facto media headquarters during the 1957 desegregation crisis. Wildland Fire in Arkansas' National Parks Wildland fire impacts each of the national parks in Arkansas in one way or another. The National Park Service manages wildland fire to protect the public; park communities and infrastructure; conserve natural and cultural resources; and maintain and restore natural ecosystem processes. A prescribed fire is monitored by a firefighter on an all-terrain vehicle. 2010 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients Seven rangers were awarded with a national or regional 2010 Freeman Tilden Award for excellence in interpretation. Learn more about their exciting and innovative projects. Portrait of John Kirkpatrick Little Rock Central High School Cultural Landscape On September 25, 1957, public attention focused on nine African American students - the “Little Rock Nine” - as they again attempted to attend their first full day at Little Rock Central High School. The students effectively desegregated the historically white high school through their attendance that year. The school continues to operate, and the site is recognized for its significance in the Civil Rights Movement and its Neo-Gothic Revival and Art Deco style architecture. Campus landscape with reflecting pool, trees and turf, broad stairs, and streetscape Little Rock Central High School Memory Project "The Memory Project," a collaboration between Central High School and Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, invites and challenges students to collect the personal stories of family and neighbors who lived through civil rights struggles in the twentieth century. A group of people stands outside Little Rock Central High holding a Memory Project banner. Equalization Schools of South Carolina South Carolina built over 700 modern schools for African American students in the 1950s and 1960s to avoid desegregating its school systems. Children in a classroom Resurrection City “It was in our wallowing together in the mud of Resurrection City that we were allowed to hear, to feel, and to see each other for the first time in our American experience.” -Rev. Jesse L. Jackson. National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map The 1957 Crisis at Central High In 1957, Little Rock’s Central High School became a crucial battleground in the struggle for civil rights. The nation sat transfixed as nine African-American students entered the previously all-white school under federal troop escort. With the help of television news, then in its infancy, the events commanded worldwide attention as Little Rock came to symbolize the federal government’s commitment to eliminating separate systems of education for blacks and whites. Terrence Roberts is turned away from Central High by the Arkansas National Guard. Cast Stone The architectural history of "America's Most Beautiful High School," Little Rock Central. The front façade of Little Rock Central High School Central High School, 1927 to today A look at Little Rock Central High School from its opening in 1927 until today. Four statues stand over the school's main entrance. Visitor Center at Little Rock Central High School NHS Information on the Little Rock Central High School NHS Visitor Center Visitor Center construction on the west side of the new facility, 2006. Things to Do in Arkansas Find things to do and trip ideas in Arkansas. Front of a high school made of brown brick that rises to a high point in the middle with stairways. Dare to Imagine: Alyssa Smith Alyssa Smith is a 2016 graduate of Little Rock Central High School and an interpretation intern at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. Read about the inspiring projects she completed as a park service intern and what she hopes for as her path unfolds. Dare to Imagine is an NPF funded grant dedicated to telling the stories of barrier-breaking women in the park service. graphic of young woman in a cap and gown, text reads Alyssa Smith HBCUI Interpretation Intern President Eisenhower and Civil Rights A brief overview of President Eisenhower and his administration's role in the Civil Rights movement of the 1950s. a black and white image of President Eisenhower surrounded by reporters. Series: Things to Do in the Midwest There is something for everyone in the Midwest. See what makes the Great Plains great. Dip your toes in the continent's inland seas. Learn about Native American heritage and history. Paddle miles of scenic rivers and waterways. Explore the homes of former presidents. From the Civil War to Civil Rights, discover the stories that shape our journey as a nation. Steep bluff with pink sky above and yellow leaves below. Robin White Robin White experienced profound loss and the injustices of discrimination as a child. Surrounded by women, she grew up understanding the importance of nature, family, cultural heritage, and her own worth. During more than 40 years in the National Park Service (NPS) White valued community engagement and diversity, first as an interpretative ranger and later as a superintendent. Robin White in her NPS uniform and ranger flat hat stands in front of a brown sign. 2022 Freeman Tilden Award Recipients View recipients of the National Park Service Freeman Tilden Awards, which recognize outstanding contributions to the practice of interpretation and education by NPS employees. Two women work with a tree while a young man records audio. 1954: Brown v. Board of Education For African Americans, the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education encouraged and empowered many who felt for the first time in more than half a century that they had a "friend" in the Court. The strategy of education, lobbying, and litigation that had defined the Civil Rights Movement up to that point broadened to include an emphasis on a "direct action. people in period costume stand in front of park sign, brick building behind

Little Rock Central High School Soldiers and guardsmen escorted the Little Rock Nine for the entire school year. TOMANIO / UNIV. OF ARKANSAS LITTLE ROCK ARCHIVES nps; Life cover: © getty images / time & life pictures collection Students still attend Central High School, which is closed to park visitors except for organized tour groups. Year of Reckoning The school desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School put on trial America’s commitment to its founding principles. It was the first signi­ ficant test of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that “separate educational facilities are inher­ ently unequal.” The successful outcome affirmed the basis of that ruling—the 14th Amend­ ment’s promise of “equal pro­ tection of the laws.” WILL COUNTS / COURTESY OF VIVIAN COUNTS AND INDIANA UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES Elizabeth Eckford walked a twoblock-long gauntlet of threats and racial slurs. Constitutional Struggle What became a defining moment in the South’s “massive resistance” to school deseg­ regation began quietly enough with a plan by Little Rock’s school board to gradually integrate the city’s schools. But Orval Faubus, the populist governor of Ark­ansas with a reputation for relative moderation on racial issues, undercut local officials. Race was playing an increasing role in Arkansas politics, and Faubus was looking ahead to running for reelection in 1958. His actions turned ordered desegregation into violent confrontation. Crying “states’ rights” and floating rumors about planned violence, Faubus justified calling out the National Guard to keep order—by blocking the entry of nine African American students. Faubus also cited concern for their safety, but before the eyes of guardsmen, mobs followed, spat on, and threatened violence to the students. Later, Governor Faubus after a court had ordered the National Guard withdrawn, and with only police to control the situation, an angry crowd beat both black and white journalists. President Eisenhower Spurred by other southern politi­ cians and his own constituents to take a stand against de­seg­ regation, Faubus insisted that in Brown v. Board the Supreme Court had overstepped its con­ stitutional authority. He invoked what he called constitutionally guar­an­teed states’ rights to back his use of the Na­tion­al Guard to bar African American students from Central High. By so doing he directly challenged the federal government. In the weeks before the students gained entry under the protection of U.S. Army troops, the governor’s defiance and legal maneuvering stoked a constitutional crisis. A growing media presence made this an ongoing news event played out on the country’s TV screens. But while Little Rock became the face of the nation’s desegregation troubles of the 1950s and 60s, the struggle for equal rights enacted there transcended region, race, and historical period. The struggle continues, and the commitment and courage shown by the Little Rock students is still needed if history is not to be repeated. ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Although not an aggressive en­forcer of civil rights, Eisen­ hower believed deeply in the rule of law, the Constitution, and the appropriate use of military force. When Governor Faubus used armed guardsmen to defy a ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court, Eisenhower had no choice but to back constitutionally granted judicial and executive authority. He was the first president since Reconstruction to use federal troops to enforce civil rights. “The only assurance I can give you is that the Federal Constitution will be upheld by me by every legal means at my command.” —President Dwight Eisenhower, in telegram to Governor Faubus nps 1958 little rock, September 1957 ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Arkansas ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE WILL COUNTS / COURTESY OF VIVIAN COUNTS AND INDIANA UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES WILL COUNTS / COURTESY OF VIVIAN COUNTS AND INDIANA UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES September 2 3 4 20 23 24 25 26 Governor Faubus orders National Guard to bar Afri­ can Americans from school for their “safety.” On first day of school mob gathers (above). Little Rock Nine do not appear. Guardsmen bar black students from entering school. Soon after Elizabeth Eckford is turned away (above) she is harassed by mob. Federal judge rules against use of Na­ tional Guard to block students. Little Rock police are given responsi­ bility for protecting the students. Little Rock Nine enter the school; police cannot main­ tain order. Riot ensues and the stu­ dents leave from a side entrance in a police car. President Eisen­ hower federalizes Arkansas National Guard and sends 1,200 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (above) to Little Rock. African American students enter Cen­ tral High escorted by soldiers (above). Faubus appears on television, saying “We are now an occupi