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University of Arkansas School of Law
September, 1949 University of Arkansas School of Law is integrated. -
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Little Rock Nine
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Little Rock Public Library
January, 1951 Little Rock Public Library board approves integrating its facilities. -
Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas
May 17, 1954 The U.S. Supreme Court rules racial segregation in the public schools is unconstitutional in Brown V. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. -
Litte Rock School Board comply with the Supreme Court
May 22, 1954 The Little Rock School Board issues a policy statement saying it will comply with the Supreme Court's decision when the Court outlines the method to be followed and the time to be allowed. -
School Adopts Virgil Blossom's Plan
May 24, 1955 The School Board votes unanimously to adopt Superintendent Virgil Blossom's plan of gradual integration that would start in September, 1957, at the high school level and add the lower grades over the next six years. Mr. Blossom is named "Man of the Year" by the Arkansas Democrat for his work on desegregation. -
Little Rock Scools turn down 27 African-Americans
January 23, 1956 Twenty-seven black students attempt to register in all-white Little Rock schools, but are turned down. -
NAACP files suit for 33 African-American kids denied admittance
February 8, 1956 The NAACP files suit on behalf of 33 black children denied admittance to four white schools. -
Federal Judge John E. Miller dismisses the NAACP suit
August 28, 1956 Federal Judge John E. Miller dismisses the NAACP suit, declaring the Little Rock School Board had acted in "utmost good faith" in its integration plan. The NAACP files an appeal. -
Fall 1956
1956 The city's public buses quietly are desegregated with no problems. -
Spring, 1957
Spring, 1957 There were 517 black students who lived in the Central High district and were eligible to attend Central in the fall. Eighty expressed an interest in doing so. Following interviews with the Superintendent and staff, 17 are selected for the first year of integration at Central. Eight of those later decide to remain at all-black Horace Mann High School -
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upholds Judge Miller's dismissal
April 29, 1957 The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis upholds Judge Miller's dismissal -
Arkansas National Guard
September 2, 1957 Governor Orval Faubus calls out the Arkansas National Guard to surround Little Rock Central High School to preserve the peace and avert violence that may be caused by extremists who came to Little Rock "in caravans." -
The nine attempted to enter Cental High
September 4, 1957 The nine black students attempt to enter Central High but are turned away by the National Guard. Elizabeth Eckford and eight other African American students (known as the Little Rock Nine) made an unsuccessful attempt to enter Little Rock Central High School, which had been segregated. With the complicity of the National Guard, an angry mob of about 400 surrounded the school -
Little Rock Police take over
September 20, 1957 The Governor removes the Guardsmen and the Little Rock Police Department takes over. -
Little Rock Nine enter school through side door
September 23, 1957 As a crowd of 1,000 mills around in front of the school, the nine black students go inside through a side door. A white student takes them to the principal's office where they are to receive their class assignments. When the mob learns the students are inside, it becomes unruly and the police fear they will be unable to maintain control. -
Eisenhower sends a thousands memebers of the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock
September 24, 1957 Little Rock Mayor Woodrow Mann sends President Eisenhower a telegram asking for federal troops to maintain order and complete the integration process. The President announces he is sending 1,000 members of the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock. -
Army troops escort the nine into Central High
September 25, 1957 Under escort by the Army troops, the nine black students are escorted back into Central High and to each class. -
Minni Jean Brown dumps a bowl of chili on white student
December, 1957 Taunted by white male students, Minni Jean Brown, one of the black students, dumps a bowl of chili on the one who was taunting her in the cafeteria. She is suspended for six days. -
Minni suspended for the rest of the school year
February 6, 1958 Following additional altercations with white students, Minni Jean Brown is suspended by the Board of Education for the remainder of the school year. She transferred to New Lincoln High School in New York City. -
Ernest Green graduates Central High
May 27, 1958 Ernest Green becomes the first black student to graduate from Central High as he joins 600 senior classmates in commencement ceremonies at Quigley Stadium. Federal troops and city police are on hand but the event goes perfectly. -
Little Rock school desegregation issue
August 25, 1958 The U.S. Supreme Court announces a special session to discuss the Little Rock school desegregation issue. -
Little Rock's 3 high schools get shut down
September 12, 1958 The Supreme Court rules that Little Rock must continue with its integration plan. The School Board announces the opening of the city's high schools on September 15. Governor Faubus orders Little Rock's three high schools closed. -
Federal court declaes closing of schools unconstiutional
June 18, 1959 Federal court declared the state's school-closing law unconstitutional. The new school board announced it would reopen the high schools in the fall. -
Civil RIghts Act of 1964
President Lyndon B, Johnson sign Civil Rights Act of 1964 -
Fall' 1972
Fall, 1972 All grades in Little Rock public schools are finally integrated. -
Little Rock Nine return after 30 years
October 24, 1987 Thirty years after first entering Central High, the Little Rock Nine returned as a group for the first time. They were met by Lottie Shackelford, Little Rock's second black mayor. Central High cheerleaders and other students-black and white-broke into applause
