A Mighty Long Way (Adapted for Young Readers): My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School

by Carlotta Walls LaNier, Lisa Frazier Page

Follow the story of Carlotta Walls LaNier, who in 1957 at the age of fourteen was one of nine black students who integrated the all-white Little Rock Central High School and became known as the Little Rock Nine.

At fourteen years old, Carlotta Walls was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine. The journey to integration in a place deeply against it would not be not easy. Yet Carlotta, her family, and the other eight students and their families answered the call to be part of the desegregation order issued by the US Supreme Court in its 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case.
As angry mobs protested, the students were escorted into Little Rock Central High School by escorts from the 101st Airborne Division, which had been called in by then-president Dwight D. Eisenhower to ensure their safety. The effort needed to get through that first year in high school was monumental, but Carlotta held strong. Ultimately, she became the first Black female ever to walk across the Central High stage and receive a diploma.
The Little Rock Nine experienced traumatic and life-changing events not only as a group but also as individuals, each with a distinct personality and a different story. This is Carlotta's courageous story.

Genres: History, Memoir, Nonfiction, Middle Grade, Education

304 pages, Hardcover

Published January 17, 2023

About the author

Carlotta Walls LaNier made history as the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine, the nine African-American students who desegregated Central High School in Little Rock (Pulaski County) in 1957.

The oldest of three daughters, Carlotta Walls was born on December 18, 1942, in Little Rock to Juanita and Cartelyou Walls. Her father was a brick mason and a World War II veteran, and her mother was a secretary in the Office of Public Housing.

Inspired by Rosa Parks, whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white passenger sparked the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, as well as the desire to get the best education available, Walls enrolled in Central High School as a sophomore. Some white students called her names and spat on her, and armed guards had to escort her to classes, but she concentrated on her studies and protected herself throughout the school year. Walls and every other Little Rock student were barred from attending Central the next year, when all four Little Rock high schools were closed, but she returned to Central High and graduated in 1960.

Walls attended Michigan State University for two years in the early 1960s before moving with her family to Denver. (Her father could not get work locally after the 1957 crisis.) In 1968, she earned a BS from Colorado State College (now the University of Northern Colorado) and began working at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) as a program administrator for teenagers.

Also in 1968, Walls married Ira C. “Ike” LaNier, with whom she had a son and a daughter. In 1977, she founded LaNier and Company, a real estate brokerage firm in Denver. She currently resides in Englewood, Colorado.

LaNier was awarded the prestigious Spingarn Medal by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), along with the other Little Rock Nine and Daisy Bates, in 1958. She has also served as president of the Little Rock Nine Foundation, a scholarship organization dedicated to ensuring equal access to education for African Americans, and is a trustee for the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Northern Colorado. In 1999, President Bill Clinton presented the nation’s highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, to the members of the Little Rock Nine. In 2009, she published her memoir, A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School.

Reviews

[Mehsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from TBR and Beyond Tours + the Publisher in exchange of an honest review.


So now that the tour is over I can post my review for this book. It wasn’t a bad book, but this time it was a 3 stars that went more to the negative side than the positive side and with the tour being all positive vibes… I had to wait. So here we are.

First up, I did love (maybe that sounds wrong) reading about Little Rock. I know some bits about it thanks to books I read. But I wanted to know more. Read more about it. And sure, I could read articles and the likes on my computer, I think it is just a bit more personal to read it from someone who experienced it. Like the 9 teens or Mrs. Bates. So that is a big reason why I wanted to read the book. We follow Carlotta as she makes the decision to go to Little Rock. As she pushes through to get her place there. We read about the racism that is so rampant. I knew how bad the racism is (and was) in the US, but it still shocks me to see what people shouted. How people gathered and formed a deadly crowd. How there were bombings and threats. To see how far people would go just to make sure that someone of colour would not get anywhere near them. WTF. I found the courage of these 9, or well 8 given that one didn’t go in the end, extraordinary. I am not sure if I would have done the same if I was in their shoes. Or if I would have gotten through things on another way. I just wanted to step into the book and just punch several people. I do hope that these people, later on in life, will have seen what they did and I hope that they feel some ounce of remorse, because holy crap.

I loved reading about Mrs. Bates, about what she did for the teens and families around her that were in need. How she always stepped up if an injustice happened. How she made sure the teens had someone to talk to. How she tried her best for them and helped them with their studies when things didn’t go so well.

It was great reading about Carlotta’s family. She has so much support and love and I am sure that helped her with her decision to go for it. I loved how supportive her parents were. Yes, they knew it would be dangerous, but they were there for her.

But yeah, I had expected, given the title, the cover, the way this book was promoted, that it was ALL ABOUT Little Rock. However, for most of the book it isn’t. We get befores with tons of family stuff and how things started. And then we get a bit about Little Rock, it just felt very little, and then we get the after. And the after is all about colleges, working, school, family, then also about some Little Rock as Carlotta was asked to talk to people. And while at points it was interesting (like see how much of the racism was still around and see it slowly change for the better), it was also just boring. I am sorry, I really had to drag my butt through the chapters and each time one finished it felt like it was finished only to find out that there was another chapter. And another one. And another one. It didn’t make up for a good reading experience. I was just bored and found myself wondering about DNF-ing. But given the material and the importance of the book, I decided to just go on. Read on. Maybe if this one had been promoted as a memoir of the life of Carlotta Walls instead of a book about Little Rock? I would have enjoyed it better or maybe be more prepared. Now I was just like, where is all the Little Rock? It was just maybe 100 or so pages purely about Little Rock. The rest was either not about it or mentioned the effects of having gone to their + the rampant racism that is still all around.

Also I would have liked a family tree at the beginning? Carlotta has a big big family and she often calls her grandfathers by Papa, which had me confused. I think if I had a family tree I could just go back to it and see who was who again and get a better feel of her family.

All in all, still a book I am happy I got the chance to read. It is an important book about racism, perseverance, courage.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m no teacher, but if I were, I would ensure that this book be a part of the curriculum. This specific edition has been adopted for young readers. I liked it book so much that I plan on reading the first edition, as soon as I can manage it. I can’t imagine the bravery that Carlotta showed during integration. Please check this book out and share it with everyone! Carlotta is now 80 years old and still with us. Certain parts of our horrible history aren’t as long past as we think they are.

Favorite lines:
✨ And they had produced stellar students, despite the imbalance in resources. But they weren’t at all confident that their white colleagues at Central would be able to look past the skin color of black students, or see and nurture the future doctors, lawyers, and scientists we could become
✨ Many of those who wrote called me a trailblazer and thanked me for my courage. Their letters reminded me of how much strength I had drawn from them over the years, those distant friends and family, as well as strangers, who took the time to let me know that they were with me in spirit

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many youngsters growing up today, it can be challenging to connect to history texts, especially when they omit the involvement of young activists in movements for social change. But as this book and others like it demonstrate, brave teens often have been part of those efforts. Since many of the schools that were desegregated during the 1950s and 1960s are now once again resegregated through parent choice and white flight, it is valuable to return to 1957 when the Little Rock Nine, including this book's author, who was 14 at the time, integrated Little Rock Central High School in an effort to understand the historical context of those efforts and learn about the thoughts and feelings of one of those brave teens. While there are other memoirs from that time, notably Warriors Don't Cry (2007) by Melba Pattillo Beals, this one, adapted for young readers, covers some uncharted territory, including what Carlotta Walls sacrificed or lost during her years at the high school. Much emphasis on this topic has been placed on what was hoped to be gained by integrating the high school so that Black students would also receive a quality education or one equal to the White students in the Arkansas community. And while that is acknowledged here, even being one of the motivating factors for Carlotta to apply for admission at Little Rock Central, she describes wistfully how she was unable to participate in athletics or any extracurricular events there, not even her senior prom. She and the others faced constant harassment, bullying, threats, name-calling, and maybe worst of all, isolation. For someone so social and so involved in after-school activities at her previous school, this might have been the worst consequence of all. It's hard to imagine trying to concentrate on academics in such an environment. But even more telling, the high school was eventually temporarily closed, causing Carlotta and others to fall even further behind, especially in areas such as math and science that she considered her weakest subjects. This would have further ramifications for her in college. The descriptions of her first days at Little Rock Central are particularly moving, and readers will be able to see just how high the price of her activism was for Carlotta and her parents. The importance of family is covered in various chapters with discussion of her ancestors and her family's position within the community. Inevitably, there is something of a letdown when she moves on to college and an uncertain future, unable at first to commit to her studies at one university and then transferring to another one. It's impossible not to wonder about those "might-have-beens" and "What ifs?" while reading about her struggles and even her choice to remain silent about her experiences for so long. Her need to find out the truth about the terrorist attack on her family home and exculpate her neighbor, Herbert Monts, who was blamed for the crime, is very clear and part of her motivation for this book as she even allows him to describe what happened that night in his own words. Readers will most likely finish this memoir thinking about how far this nation has come but also how much further it needs to go and the high price paid by those who went first. Most of all, they will inspired by Carlotta Walls LaNier's courage, resilience, and honesty. The writing flows smoothly, and this account of a very personal take on a very public event has a conversational tone that lends an air of listening to a friend tell a story about something that happened several decades ago. Late middle-grade social studies and high school history teachers will find this text an excellent supplemental resource for their courses because of the first-hand perspective on this part of history.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc and finished copy from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice At Little Rock Central High School

Author: Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Diversity: Black MC and characters

Recommended For...: young adult readers, required reading, memoirs, Little Rock Nine

Publication Date: January 17. 2023

Genre: YA Memoir

Age Relevance: 13+ (religion, terrorism, racism, war, colorism, cursing, slavery, murder, death, police brutality, segregation, violence, suicide, vomit gore, illness)

Explanation of Above: The book has passages describing real-life moments of terrorism, racism, war, colorism, slavery, segregation, and police brutality in detail. There are mentions and passages talking about the Christian religion. There is some mild cursing. There are mentions and discussions about murder, death, and one scene describing a supposed suicide. Physical violence is shown and mentioned. There is one passage mentioning vomiting. There are a couple of mentions of cancer and dementia as well.

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 304

Synopsis: Follow the story of Carlotta Walls LaNier, who in 1957 at the age of fourteen was one of nine black students who integrated the all-white Little Rock Central High School and became known as the Little Rock Nine.

At fourteen years old, Carlotta Walls was the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine. The journey to integration in a place deeply against it would not be not easy. Yet Carlotta, her family, and the other eight students and their families answered the call to be part of the desegregation order issued by the US Supreme Court in its 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case.

As angry mobs protested, the students were escorted into Little Rock Central High School by escorts from the 101st Airborne Division, which had been called in by then-president Dwight D. Eisenhower to ensure their safety. The effort needed to get through that first year in high school was monumental, but Carlotta held strong. Ultimately, she became the first Black female ever to walk across the Central High stage and receive a diploma.

The Little Rock Nine experienced traumatic and life-changing events not only as a group but also as individuals, each with a distinct personality and a different story. This is Carlotta's courageous story.

Review: This is a truly impactful read. The book is the real-life account of Carlotta Walls LaNier, who was one of the Little Rock 9. If you’re unfamiliar with the Little Rock 9, that stands as a testament to one of the darker times in American history that states and government are actively trying to cover up. The Little Rock 9 was a group of students who volunteered to be the first Black students to attend an all-white school when integration was being introduced. The horrors and hardships they, and more specifically Carlotta, endured during that time and afterwards are detailed in this book in very good detail. The book is an adaptation for young readers and is suitable for anyone who wants to learn the history that American history textbooks refuse to recite. I consider this required reading for anyone at any age. The book itself is very well written and you honestly feel like you’re in conversation with Carlotta.

The only issue I had with the book is that sometimes the pacing was a bit wonky in places, but that’s not unusual for memoirs and such.

Verdict: It was great and I highly recommend everyone add this to their required reading repertoire.

[Aspyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

[spoilers]
In the biography of A Mighty Long Way, by Carlotta Walls LaNier with Lisa Frazier Page, LaNier faced strong discrimination and racism as one of the first black students to integrate with the white Little Rock Central High School. She was the youngest member of Little Rock Nine and was targeted with harassment in and outside of the school. A Mighty Long Way has a sandwich kind of organization where the beginning and the end are both referring to American’s education of Little Rock Nine after decades, whereas everything in the middle is adding the main information that the readers need to know to interpret the message carried out by the beginning and end.
To preface, Carlotta was the vice president of her class and was heavily involved in extracurricular activities outside of being an excellent academic student. That is until 9th grade because what seemed like a harmless option of going to a school that was on par with her skills and needs as a student, turned out to heavily restrict her social and academic career. Due to racist segregationists that were passionate about limiting black students' education to the best of their abilities, Carlotta was prohibited to join after-school clubs, student government, or even going to school games and activities. LaNier depicted that she went months without stepping foot into her school because of raging mobs targeting her life. They didn’t just target her and the other Little Rock Nine members, they also targeted their families. This disturbing truth of how White Americans treated Black students often goes by unacknowledged. That’s why LaNier’s purpose is to share her story so others can be educated about America’s history and not neglect aspects of it like Little Rock Nine.
A Mighty Long Way is an interesting and insightful book that is worth the read. LaNier’s work with A Mighty Long Way has more of an informal style, to better illustrate her personal experiences. The content of the book is fascinating as it lets the reader peer into LaNier’s life during her high school years, and see how much racism and injustice that she was facing altered her mind at such a young age. This narrative of LaNier’s life evokes the right emotions. We feel empathetic and sad when she’s going through those physically and emotionally violent times, however, we still feel hopeful that she’ll be able to survive for her safety.
I personally think everyone who has the emotional bandwidth should read this book because it offers an experience of pain and growth, and it is inspiring to witness that from such a young person. It’s also good that LaNier did not censor such gruesome events and experiences, and told the readers it was because so many people like to downplay the racist history. She directed that she doesn’t stand by how many people undermine racism and the brutal experiences Little Rock Nine experienced. Overall, A Mighty Long Way is an intriguing and informative book, I definitely recommend.

[Richetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page is a powerful memoir of a young girl who steps into the fires of integration and becomes one of the Little Rock Nine.

I loved the smooth flow of this book. It was easy to stay in the story spoken from Carlotta’s viewpoint. I finished the book almost in one sitting. I’m excited for young readers to get their hands on this book. It has so much history packed into it. Students will walk away demanding why they were never told the facts that Carlotta shares.

A Mighty Long Way, includes Carlotta’s life before her fateful sophomore year when she integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. It also describes the painful experiences she endured during that long integration — which took several years — and the trauma she managed after graduating. A fact that I learned: Only three of the Little Rock Nine were able to graduate from Central High School. The reason why may surprise you, and it’s not because they dropped out and transferred.

Recommended
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about American history from a perspective that is often suppressed. There was so much more that happened during the Central High School integration than commonly gets told. Carlotta speaks about how during the second year of integration the governor shut down all of the high schools for a year, the bombings (including her own home) by segregationists, an alleged murder, false imprisonment, and the aftermath of having survived two years of being one of the first to integrate Central High School.

Check out my full review on my blog, www.cocoawithbooks.com

[Emily Runk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story itself is 5 star worthy... just some of the writing got bogged down in details which is understandable given that this is a memoir, but would be tough for young readers to follow. However, understanding the story and the history is the most important thing here. The fact that this history is living history is remarkable... while I would like to think it's impossible for anyone to behave the way segregationists and white people did in this book, I know it's more than possible because this type of hate still exists today. What a reminder that while we have made some strides forward in this country, we have so far to go. While this version is for young readers, be aware that the n word is spelled out and used on many occasions. It was shocking, but there is power in words, and I think that it was necessary for readers to experience. After all, this is what happened, and glossing over it because we are uncomfortable doesn't change that. Politics also come into play in this book because with this topic, how could they not. Just be aware so that if you're a teacher, you can be armed with knowledge if there is any pushback for this one. I think that this book and others like it are so important for young readers so that they can truly learn history and not just the version the textbook company sells. I learned so much and felt so much with this one.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the memoir of Carlotta Walls Lanier, one of the Little Rock Nine, adapted for young readers. It is a powersful story of the courage of this young woman and her peers, facing both the hatred and the apathy of the white folk that opposed integration of her high school. While some students openly called her horrible names, spit on her, shoved her, and did anything else they could think of to dissuade her from attending school, others just ignored it, stood by and watched it happen, saying nothing. Carlotta states that the actual number of students causing the trouble were few but the bystanders were many. If they would have spoken up, it would have been a completely different experience. Outside the school, it was a different situation. The adults protesting were numerous and violent. Police and FBI were brought in although their efficacy is questionable. Carlotta's house was bombed, threatening notes and calls were received. All of this simply because she wanted the opportunity to receive the same education as white students.While she did receive her diploma, one might argue that she did not receive the same education as the white students at Central High. CW: use of the N* word, violence, racism

[Quade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great way to learn about civics is to read stories that connect us to real people. The story of Carlotta Walls tied together leaders and events of the American Civil Rights movement to kids in school. The landmark U.S. Supreme Court Brown v. Board of Education decision opened the door to desegregation in schools. This book made me thankful for the kids and teachers who had to walk through that door every day. Her personal story of perseverance and bravery is inspirational.

Young reader's adaptation of A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School.
Summary: 14-years-old, Carlotta Walls was the youngest of the nine black students who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.

Author: Carlotta Walls LaNier and Lisa Frazier Page
Publisher: Penguin Random House (January 17, 2023)
Genre: Middle Grade Biography, Age: 10+

Thanks to @penguinrandomhouse for the ARC.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know others from the Little Rock Nine have published books, but Carlotta's story is the first one I've read. I knew headline information about the Little Rock Nine, but Carlotta's story really put the events of that school integration in historical context. I didn't realize that the governor first brought in the National Guard to keep the Black students OUT. There were many attempts to integrate, including an entire year that students in Little Rock took distance learning classes, and Carlotta went to live with relatives in various northern places to attain summer school credits. I didn't realize that when Eisenhower sent in the National Guard to finally integrate Central that each Black student had a guardsmen walk them to classes. This did not prevent spitting or spitballs or slurs... it's insane what these students went through just to get a fair and equal education. It's a speedy and engrossing read. Recommended.

[Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlotta Walls LaNier was one of the Little Rock 9, a group of Black students who attended a previously all-white high school. The administrators had to be forced to allow these 9 students to attend, and it was a horrible experience for them: name calling, physical violence (ranging from spit balls to shoving), vandalism of their lockers, books, and other belongings, and the bombing of one Carlotta's home.

I cannot believe that I have not heard of these students. They should be heralded along with Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks, and the people on the Freedom bus as heroes on the front lines of integration.

I highly recommend this book for high school students so that they can see how prejudice functioned in the 1950s and then consider how it is functioning today, and how they can work to fight against bigotry.

[Swampscott Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Content Warnings: Racism, Slurs, Discrimination, Hate Crimes, Violence, Harassment

A Mighty Long Way is a memoir by Carlotta Walls LaNier. As one of nine black students, who are known as the Little Rock Nine, Carlotta tells her personal story of integrating the all-white Little Rock Central High School. Every member of the Little Rock Nine has a harrowing and courageous story to tell, and this is Carlotta’s. I would highly recommend this book. It teaches the reader so much about the integration of Little Rock Central High School and the challenges the Little Rock Nine had to face. The writing pulls the reader in and gives the reader a sense of familiarity with Carlotta. Overall, I would rate this book a 5 out of 5. Have fun reading!

--Teen volunteer Lucy, 8th grade

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

269:2023
Really excellent account of Walls LeNier's experiences as part of the Little Rock Nine. I have visited the National Parks Historical Site that she references in the book, but there is still so much that I didn't know about what she and her fellow Black students endured in integrating Central HS. I totally missed that there were repeated bombing incidents in the community, and OMG, the way the bombings were handled by law enforcement, ESPECIALLY the one on her home, were RIDICULOUS. I will DEFINITELY recommend this to my middle school students and I'm going to check out the original to see how much different it is both for myself and my more advanced students.

[Jake Pokorny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m fascinated with the story and dialogue of the Little Rock Nine. Carlotta Walls was the youngest of the Nine and one of the few that actually graduated from Central High School. Her journey, determination, resiliency to unfair racial treatment and her personal pain are a daily reminder to me that any barrier can be hurdled. A strong belief in God is far more powerful than any racial bigotry.

Although, this book was modified for a younger audience and in my opinion was too easy to read. Nonetheless, still an inspiring and encouraging story!

[Eyera the Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Begining: slow
Middle: slow
End: great

The story went by quite slow and was a difficult read. I understand that it's a nonfiction book about a serious topic, but the storyline isn't written chronologically or in an appealing way. If you're reading for information, go ahead. It has a lot of important details about the Little Rock Nine and Central High School. However, if you're curious about the topic and want to read for fun, I wouldn't recommend.

[Mrs. Seibert · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm so disappointed that the author included her negative opinions of Donald Trump in the last chapter. Some people like him, so don't and I get it but in this day and age school libraries are scrutinized for everything, therefore, I was not able to include this book in my collection which is a shame because it was a good historical memoir.

[Katherine Pogatshnik · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very powerful biography of Carlotta Walls LaNier's experiences through the integration of schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. No person should have to face the trials and hatred that the students had to face.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carlotta Walls LaNier’s biography focusing on her experience as one of the Little Rock Nine.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommend reading.
It is very insightful on the little rock nine experience at the time and recap after they graduated and had families.

[Michelle W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting learning about the experiences of one of the Little Rock Nine who I had no idea lived in CO! I’m glad I know more about her life!

[Tracey Vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit that normally I do not read as much Non-Fiction as much as I read Fiction but when I got the email about A Mighty Long Way I was drawn to it because I already had seen a film about Ruby Bridges and knew I wanted to know more.


It is very hard to review a book like this as this was Carlotta's life and her bravery at the age of 14 to go through such hate is beyond me. This book must of been very hard for Carlotta to relive such harrowing events I doff my cap. I was totally moved by her story and in fact I shed some tears in utter disbelief how humans could treat other humans that way.

It is also a story of family, love and hope and should be talked more about in Schools especially and discussed no matter where the School is.

Thank you Carlotta for writing this book and for all the reasons above I am giving 4 stars

[Binxie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir of Carlotta Walls LaNier, is such a good read. Her life as one of the Little Rock Nine comes to life for the reader. As a teen and a brave, strong one at that, her reluctant recollections of her life are so moving. Her story makes the civil rights movement accessible to teens. Every facet of their lives was affected by their decisions to be the first black students to attend Central High School. Carlotta does a good job of telling this part of the experience. This is an important part of US History and must be part of the curriculum of each US student.