Warriors Don't Cry: The Searing Memoir Of The Battle To Integrate Little Rock's Central High (1995) - Plot & Excerpts
Shortly after the United States Supreme Court prohibited school segregation in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, twelve-year-old Melba signed a list to go to school with white people. Three years later, she got her wish. She was selected with eight other African-American students to attend and integrate Little Rock's Central High School. They became known as the Little Rock Nine. Immediately there were obstacles. Governor Faubus called in the National Guard to surround Central High and prevent Beals and her friends from entering. An angry white mob of over 1,000 people shouted and grabbed at them. Nineteen days after they first tried to attend school, a period filled with legal wrangling in federal court, they were escorted into Central High by the local police, only to leave early. The next day, President Eisenhower ordered members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to act as their escorts and protection in the hallways of Central High. Once inside the high school, Beals experienced one violent situation after another, at the hands of both her fellow classmates and her teachers. Students hurled obscenities, knocked her books down, pinned her against a wall and tried to choke her during a pep rally, and sprayed acid in her eyes. Teachers and others in positions of authority spat on and slapped her or looked the other way when students were abusing her. Beals and her friends never entered Central High through its main steps as their classmates did, but instead used a side entrance, sometimes leaving the school in armored vehicles or helicopters. As Beals wrote in her diary, "After three full days inside Central, I know that integration is a much bigger word than I thought."In addition to the incidents at school, Beals describes other changes in her life. As a result of her family's very real fears about the white mob and what might happen if she were to leave the house on the weekends, Beals had to spend a lot of time at home. Friends she had before entering Central High became estranged, and she was no longer able to enjoy the activities she once loved. Her life was entirely consumed by integration. Her loving, strong, supportive family and the other Little Rock Nine members became the constants in her life.Despite the many setbacks the Little Rock Nine experienced, a message of hope, dignity, and resilience shines through Beals' memoir. In the end, three members of the Little Rock Nine were able to graduate from Central High School, and the others finished their education elsewhere when the situation in Little Rock became too dangerous. This is an important book and one that should be read by everyone. As important as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks are to the history books, it is also important to remember the struggles that the Little Rock Nine went through to secure access to education. Five stars for both writing and educational value. Highly recommended.
The book i have read for my good reads book review is called " Warriors Don't Cry". The author of the book is Melba Pattillo Beals. This is a female author. The book is 226 pages long. The book was written in the year of 1994. This book explains the hardships melba and some of her African American classmates went through due to the segregation in Little Rock, Arkansas. Melba was only 16 years old. A year later, Melba became a front line warrior in the civil rights movement. After the Supreme Court ruling , Brown V.S. Board of Education, Melba was one of the nine African American students choosen to intergrate Little Rock's Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.Melba was treated like garbage by the white people. she had acid sprayed in her eyes, mob threats, and she was even taunted by her white classmates and thier parents. "But through it all, she acted with dignity and courage, and refused to back down". Melbas first two days of attending Central High School, she felt like she was living a stangers life. " Dear Diary, the two days since i first went to Central felt like i was living in some stranger's life". Melba could not start her morning without thinking how the governer, the national guard and the school board were up to. Melba tried not to care, but she just could not stop thinking about it. Melba believed that the school board was backing off of intergration and she told her mother as they left for school one morning. The people who were supposed to help Melba and the other 8 students, acted as if they did not want to do their jobs. I remember reading in chapters 5 and 6, who all of this lead to court. Melba could not stop thinking about how governer Faubus would for sure have to be in the courtroom on the court date."The nine of uswalked up the side walk toward the Federal Building at a brisk peace". Their group included Mrs. Bates, Thurgood Marshall Wiley Branton and a few other people who melba did not know. Ministers and lawyers from the community were also there to protect the 9 students. At the end of th court session, the judge ruled that they will intergrate Central High School. The 9 students made a big impact on the civil rights movement. These 9 students were also known as the Little Rock 9. This book brings a strong and informative impact on its audience. The subject of this book is a subject that brings back memories and emotions. The impact of this book has a lasting value, especially on the people who lived through this era of time. All in all, the people who went through this horrible treatment are strong brave indivisuals and the book is excellent.
What do You think about Warriors Don't Cry: The Searing Memoir Of The Battle To Integrate Little Rock's Central High (1995)?
My final book for the semester was Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Beals. Beals was one of the Little Rock Nine that were the first black students to integrate a white school. The novel is somewhat of an autobiography, told from Beals’ perspective and intertwined with diary entries. The story begins with Beals describing living with her mother, who was a teacher, her father, who worked for a railroad company, her grandmother, and her little brother. She provides some examples of racism, but expresses how she never understood it fully. When integration is announced, she signs up to attend the white school, Central High, which she has always dreamed of going to. She does not tell anyone about this and even forgets about signing up until a few months later when she receives a phone call saying that she will be attending Central. She finally convinces her mother to let her go, and the rest of the book discusses the issues and struggles she and the other eight faced. She details the physical and verbal harassment, the threats, some of her protectors, the media attention, and the simple desire to just be able to go to a good school. The book follows her through her first year as a student, and then talks about the futures of the nine including their 30 year reunion at the school. tI really enjoyed this book. I must admit I meant to grab the one about the three young girls who end up going to a Black Panther camp, however this book was really good. I did not really read any autobiographies this year (besides An Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian), so I liked the change of pace for my last book. With my interest in teaching in Detroit, a predominantly black city, I think that this is a book I would use in a future classroom. It is really interesting and may appeal to students who aren’t interested in a traditional novel. Also, the fact that she was in high school herself at the time is very interesting and relatable. All of these events also happened, which will provide a reason for its importance for students.
—Matthew Swastek
Another example of man's inhumanity to man. I couldn't believe that people, even immature high schoolers, could be so hateful to nine young people just because of their color. I guess that shows my innocence. This was a very interesting story of the author's experience of being one of the first black teens to integrate into a prestigious High School in Arkansas. I loved her bravery in the face of what could have possibly meant her death. I loved her faith in God whom she turned to to help her face her challenges. I loved the portrayal of her mother and grandmother; amazing, strong women. I wasn't surprised at all when I looked up the names of the students involved in this integration, to find that all nine of them have had very successful lives.
—Catharine
Melba Patillo beals really does an excellent job of making you feel and vision what the little rock nine experienced. Through all those times they were being mistreated and abused in every possible way due to the complexion of their skin, they never gave up. Ofcourse at times they felt that the conditions were too overwhelming but they never thought that what they were doing was a complete waste and that it wasn't worth it. Yes, integrating Central High would be an impediment. But they were willing to face it.
—Syndy
