Little Rock desegregation heroes to lecture

Online Photo

 

Two members of the historical Little Rock Nine are scheduled to speak at Oklahoma Christian University for the McGaw Lectureship.

The Little Rock Nine is a group of nine African American students who risked their lives to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., a then-segregated public school in 1957.

People were so opposed to the presence of the Little Rock Nine, they tried to stop them from entering the school. Governor Orval Faubus sent the National Guard to the school, not to protect them, but to stop them from entering the building.

The hostility escalated quickly; President Eisenhower sent the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne of the U.S. Army to escort these nine black students. To ensure their safety, each of the nine had their own personal federal bodyguard to attend classes.

“I remember the click-clack of the soldiers’ boots on the stairs,” Melba Pattillo Beals, a member of the Little Rock Nine said in a 1996 taping of “Oprah.” “I remember thinking, ‘if these soldiers just walk with us this first day into this school, it’s going to be OK.’ So we went in with armed guards and there were kids just standing in the rafters, just screaming.”

Ernest Green, who was the first of the Little Rock Nine to graduate from Central High School, also recalls tales of violence towards him.

“It was an atmosphere of hostility; of war,” Green said in the same taping.

While sharing their story on Oprah’s show, Beals and the other members of the Little Rock Nine stated how friendly faces of the few white students who actually supported them were all they had during times of fierce hardship.

“Many days when somebody is beating you in the back with a tennis racket and you’re spitting up blood and somebody has thrown acid in your eyes, the only thing you got is a smile,” Beals said.

Now, 57 years later, two members of the Little Rock Nine – Carlotta Walls and Terrence Roberts – are hosting History Speaks: Little Rock Nine on campus.

“OC is engaging students and faculty in key discussions of important events, both past and present, so this seems like a critical opportunity for students to learn,” Scott LaMascus, vice president of academic affairs and a member of the review committee for the McGaw endowment proposals, said.

The lectureship also coincides with Black History Month, which seems to resonate well with students.

“I actually learned about the Little Rock Nine on the last civil rights trip that Gary Jones sponsors every year,” junior Jabbarri Jones said. “I think that them coming here is a good way for not only African Americans, but everyone, to appreciate, be inspired and open up doors to learn about black history.”

Jones isn’t alone in his views.

“I think it’s great to hear this during black history month,” senior Dwayne Wiseman said. “African Americans before me, like the Little Rock Nine, did so much for me to have this freedom and I think it’s great that we honor the people who fought for them.”

Wiseman noted the far-reaching effects of how just a few individual actions, if persistent, can change society.

“I was able to meet some of my best friends because of what these individuals, along with people like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks did,” Wiseman said. “It’s so awesome to get to really focus on them during this month and share the pride I have with my friends.”

When reflecting on the trials the nine students faced, Oklahoma Christian students said all could benefit from hearing their story.

“I think it is very important for students, regardless of race, to hear their story,” Jones said. “What they did was very bold and courageous. They took on racial desegregation and even though they were beat up, spit on and talked about, they just kept going and  that inspires me  to just keep going no matter what the obstacle is.”

Wiseman agreed.

“You hear their story and you can’t help but feel sad, yet proud at the same time,” Wiseman said. “We’ve come a long way as a country, and it’ll be great for all students to hear about this because good or bad, it’s eye-opening to hear what they were thinking and what made them do the things they did.”

Oklahoma Christian administrators saw this lectureship as an opportunity for students to hear a firsthand account of history.

“This event with the Little Rock Nine will be important for OC students today,” LaMascus said. “It will be an opportunity for a life-changing perspective on history from leaders who were there.”

Jones sees the lectureship as a catalyst to develop fellowship through a common cause.

“I think this event will help unify us as a community of OC students,” Jones said. “I think if we learn about the meaning of unity now, when we leave here we will branch out as diverse individuals.”

The lecture will take place Monday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in Hardeman Auditorium. Tickets are free but those who wish to attend will need to register for the event due to limited seating.