Essential Questions

• What are the characteristics of effective leadership?
• What is the role of dissent in a democratic society?
• How did humans resolve conflict?
• What directions can power and authority take?
• What are the differences between civil rights and human rights?

Civil Rights Resources
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• Resources for Elementary Teachers - PDF
• Resources for Secondary Teachers - PDF

Central High Crisis Timeline

1954

• May 17: U.S. Supreme Court finds in Brown v. Board of Education that
  "separate but equal" racial segregation laws relating to public education are unconstitutional.
  
  1955
  
  
• May 31: U.S. Supreme Court rules in Brown II that segregation in public schools
  must be ended "with all deliberate speed".
  
  
• Sept.: peaceful school integration takes place in Fayetteville.
  
  
• Sept.:Oct.: strong public protests follow racial integration of Hoxie School
  District in Lawrence County.
  
  
• Fall: formation of the White Citizens Council of Arkansas.
  
  1956
  
  
• NAACP files suit to force immediate integration in Little Rock schools.
  
• November: passage of anti-integration Amendment 44 to Arkansas Constitution.
  
  1957
  
  
• NAACP targets Little Rock's Central High for integration.
  
  
• February: passage of anti-integration laws by Arkansas General Assembly.
  
  
• August: nine Black students assigned to Central High.
  
  
• Sept. 2: Gov. Orval E. Faubus sends Arkansas National Guard troops to Central High to "keep the peace".
  
  
• Sept. 4: National Guard turns away seven of the Black students.
  
  
• Sept. 20: Federal Court orders Faubus to withdraw troops.
  
  
• Sept. 23: "Black Monday": crowds gather outside of Central High; "mob action feared."
  
  
• Sept. 24: President Eisenhower federalizes Arkansas National Guard.
  
  
• Sept. 24: Elements of the 101st Airborne Division arrive in Little Rock and begin patrolling Central High.
  
  
• Sept. 25: All nine Black students allowed to enter Central High.
  
  1958
  
  
• June 3: Ernest Green becomes Central High's first Black graduate.
  
  
• August: special session of Arkansas General Assembly passes laws allowing governor to close any school "being integrated by force".
  
  
• Sept.: Faubus closes all Little Rock high schools, including Central High, for 1958-1959 school year.
  
  
• Sept.: Women's Emergency Committee to Open Public Schools (WEC) formed.
  
  
• November: Dr. Dale Alford elected to Congress.
  
  1959
  
  
• May: recall election removed extreme segregationists from Little Rock School Board
  
  
• June: a Federal Court rules state's school closing laws unconstitutional.
  
  
• Summer: Little Rock School Board announces the reopening of closed schools.
  
  
• August 12: segregationist mob tries to prevent opening of Central High.
  
  
• Sept.: Central High, and other schools, reopen for 1959-1960 school year; eight Black students attend Central High and Hall High with little trouble; crisis ends.

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