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Brown vs. Board of Education
The United States Supreme Court decides segregation is unconstitutional. -
Superintendent Virgil Blossom's plan of gradual integration
Superintendent Virgil Blossom presents a plan of gradual integration as opposed to immediately responding to the federal law. His plan proposes to start integration in September of 1957 for high schools and the lower grades will start being integrated over the following six years. -
A temporary suspension of the integration was sought by the Mother’s League and it was granted because of the risk of violence.
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The suspension was nullified.
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Little Rock Nine are chosen
By September, 17 black children from the Central High district were chosen to integrate but 8 eventually declined and remained at Horace Mann High School, a near-by school that only had black students. -
The Arkansas National Guard was ordered by the governor of Arkansas to surround Central High and prevent violence.
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Segregation is officially ordered to proceed.
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Students attempt to integrate but they are blocked from entering by the armed National Guard and by the violent mob.
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The Governor is forced to remove the Arkansas National Guard.
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The safety of the students is feared so they are removed from school early through a side door.
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President Eisenhower sends 1,000 men from the 101st Airborne Division to protect the integrating students.
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Minnijean Brown is suspended for six days for dumping a bowl of chili on several boys who were harassing her.
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Minnijean is suspended for the rest of the School year.
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Ernest Green graduates from Central High School and is the first black student to graduate.
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The governor of Arkansas closes all of the high schools in Little Rock Arkansas.
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The schools are reopened after the Federal court declared their closing unconstitutional.