Arkansas Troops Bar Negro Pupils; Governor Defiant

The article “Arkansas Troops Bar Negro Pupils; Governor Defiant” was written by John Herbers and published in The New York Times on September 26, 1957. The article covers the events which took place after nine African-American students were barred from attending Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Governor Orval Faubus had called in the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the African-American students from entering the school.

Background

The events described in the article occurred as part of the desegregation of public schools in the United States. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of Brown v. Board of Education that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. The decision was seen as a victory for the civil rights movement, but it was met with resistance from many in the South. In 1957, the Little Rock School Board voted to desegregate its public schools. The school board was met with resistance from Governor Orval Faubus, who ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the African-American students from entering Little Rock Central High School.

Faubus’ Defiance of Court Order

The article focuses on the defiance of Governor Faubus in the face of a court order to desegregate the school. Faubus had ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent the African-American students from entering the school, in spite of a court order to the contrary. Faubus argued that he was acting to preserve the peace, but the article makes it clear that his actions were a violation of the court order. The article ends with Faubus defiantly proclaiming that he was not going to be “intimidated” by the court order.

President Eisenhower’s Response

The article also mentions that President Eisenhower had been monitoring the situation in Little Rock closely. Eisenhower had threatened to send federal troops to the city if Faubus failed to comply with the court order. However, Eisenhower ultimately chose to deploy the 101st Airborne Division to the city, in order to enforce the court order and ensure the safety of the African-American students.

Related Questions

  • What was the outcome of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School?
  • What year did the Supreme Court issue its ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education case?
  • What did President Eisenhower do in response to Governor Faubus’ defiance of the court order?
  • What other states attempted to resist desegregation following the Brown v. Board of Education ruling?
  • What was the reaction of the people of Little Rock to the desegregation of the school?
  • What measures did the government take to ensure the safety of the African-American students?
  • What other civil rights issues were addressed in the 1950s?
  • What was the reaction of the civil rights movement to the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School?
  • What role did the media play in covering the events in Little Rock?
  • What long-term effect did the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School have on the civil rights movement?