Road Trip - Day 7

Day 7 - January 7th, 2014  Little Rock, AR

We were really tired when we arrived in Dallas last night after a busy day of sight-seeing in the morning and early afternoon, and then driving for nearly 5 hours in the late afternoon/evening. Hence, we are a bit behind in our blogging and we're preparing this on January 8th.

In the morning, we visited the President Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock. Situated in a lovely location overlooking the Arkansas River, this large building has many exhibits that track his life from birth to the years he was in office, first as Governor of Arkansas, and then as President. Very interesting - bringing back a few memories of events that took place in that era. 

The Presidential Limo

Arkansas River

Bill Clinton Presidential Library

Apparently, he visits the museum once every 5-6 weeks, the last time being in mid-December. He has a 2000 sq. ft. apartment above the library which you can see in the picture above.  

Replica of the Cabinet Room in the White House

A typical setting for entertaining heads of state

Hall of exhibits, documenting policies and events in his presidency

Down-town Arkansas

Mark in a replica of the Oval Office

For us, our visit to Little Rock Central High School was the highlight of our day. This is where the 'Little Rock Nine' were at the centre of the controversy of integration of black students into public schools when they were refused entry in September 1957. We were allowed to actually enter the school - which is still a working school - with provisions that we could take photos of the building, inside and out, but not of people in the building. Today, the school is totally integrated with students from a variety of ethnic and economical backgrounds. 

Little Rock Central High School

It would have been difficult for the 'nine' to envisage this as they were assaulted and abused, both verbally and physically during their time at this institution. They were counselled by the N.A.A.C.P. not to retaliate- no matter what the provocation - as the press at the time would have focused upon their actions, not on what had been done to them. One of the nine was, in fact, expelled after a white girl had physically stalked her and attacked her. She retaliated verbally and pushed the girl away - and this act earned her expulsion from the school, and from any publicly funded school in Arkansas.

 They had acid thrown in their faces, were pushed down the stairs, and physically attacked - even when guarded. The segregationists passed out flyers to encourage their white student members to keep up the attack, and to deter them from befriending the black students. Staff were instructed to discipline the white students only if there were named witnesses. Of course, many were afraid to come forward, and so these offences often remained unpunished, with the tacit permission to repeat them.

Reporters were not allowed on the premises of Central High, and so they gathered at this gas station opposite the school. As the protesters grew in number by the thousands, the area became like a place under siege.

Gas Station opposite the school - the phone became the main vehicle for reporters to get their stories back to their editors

These are the doors that the Little Rock Nine entered, once they were given admittance

The Little Rock Nine - Yesterday and Today

The Principal's Office

Such amazing courage was rewarded many years later when President Clinton presented the now adult men an women with gold congressional medals, noting that they had earned these because they had 'paid the price' for freedom. 8 out of the original 9 are still alive and have been very successful in different walks of life. See this article for more info: The Little Rock Nine - Yesterday and Today

Their story serves as an inspiration for all who are committed to the advancement of human rights, and reminds us all of the need to be vigilant to maintain and protect those rights so that future generations may experience the freedom that we are fortunate to enjoy. 

Happy, Fit, & Free!