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Elizabeth Eckford of the Little Rock Nine

Elizabeth Eckford of the Little Rock Nine

The Interview vor 8 Jahren

In 1957 Elizabeth Eckford was one of nine students who challenged school segregation

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In September 1957 nine African American students, including
Elizabeth Eckford, entered the all white Little Rock Central High
School in Arkansas, thereby breaking for the first time the
racial segregation barrier in US schools. They became known as
the Little Rock Nine. Two years earlier the US Supreme Court had
ruled segregation in schools to be unconstitutional. The first
time Elizabeth Eckford tried to enter Little Rock Central High
she was turned away and the image of her surrounded by a hostile
crowd of local white people is one of the most famous photographs
of the American civil rights struggle of the 1950s and 60s. Later
in September 1957 Elizabeth and her fellow group of African
American students were finally able to enter the school. But
their troubles didn't stop there. The Little Rock Nine were
regularly abused and shunned by white students and for Elizabeth
Eckford her time at the school led to suffering from
post-traumatic stress disorder. HARDtalk is at her familyhome in
Little Rock from where she left to attend Central High more than
60 years ago.

(Photo: Elizabeth Eckford)