The Little Rock Nine: Struggle for Integration

by Stephanie Fitzgerald

In the fall of 1957, nine students in Little Rock, Arkansas, volunteered to integrate the city s all-white Central High School. This group, known as the Little Rock Nine, soon found themselves in the center of a firestorm. Many people did not want black students to attend the school, and they fought hard to stop them. But the students faced the challenge with grace, dignity, and courage. They pioneered the way for equality in schools and demonstrated the power of freedom for all Americans."

Genres: Nonfiction

96 pages, Unknown Binding

First published August 31, 2006

Reviews

[Kishauna]

Arkansas. The setting affects the plot because during this time, segregation was still active. This plot is that the students are going to and all white school and receive numerous amounts of hate threats and death threats. The location doesn’t help because of all the racial problems that existed. “Segregationists who didn’t want the black students in their schools promised protests, prompted governor Faubus to deploy the guard.”(Fitzgerald 12)

[Mrs. Golden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always like to pair simple nonfiction with another read. I read this shortly after reading Warriors Don't Cry which gives us the firsthand account of segregation in 1957, this book fills in some of the background information leading up to this event. What I like most is the followup of the Little Rock Nine and how they succeeded in life. Fifty years later they returned to their high school to commemorate their historic experience and speak to today's reader on how it shaped their lives.

[Becky H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing story of perserverance despite intense persecution. I liked the way the story was told from the first-hand perspective recounting of the events as they occurred in real time.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our library has this as a teen book. Takes a complicated historical event and makes it easier to approach. Good references at the end.