The integration of the Little Rock Nine was one of the most iconic events in all of Civil Rights history, the infamous introduction of the nine African American students into a previously all-white Arkansas school. One of the people most involved in the event and its aftermath was Daisy Gatson Bates. Daisy and her husband owned a small newspaper in Arkansas called the Arkansas State Press and used journalism to promote Civil Rights and advocacy for African Americans. The paper and its publishers highly supported school integration and after closely following Brown v The Board of Education decision, they were primed to cover the next big event. Daisy became a mentor to the nine African American students at the center of the controversy, there to guide and support them as they entered Little Rock High School. She organized an escort of ministers for the children, assisted in their enrollment, joined the parent-teacher organization, and simply oversaw and coordinated the entire process. After the angry outcry against the school’s integration boiled over, Daisy was briefly arrested and charged a fine for failing to provide information on NAACP members, but she remained undeterred in the face of what was obviously a ploy to discourage her and other activist. At the end of it all, the school was successfully integrated, with no injuries toward any child thanks to her careful work and planning. In addition to her long-time membership with the NAACP, Daisy also worked for the Democratic National Committee and served on President Johnson’s anti-poverty programs. At home, she created a program that enabled poor, rural citizens to improve their neighborhoods and quality of life through self-help. For the entire country or in her own backyard, Daisy Gatson Bates made a difference for African Americans during the crucial Civil Rights era, but her most important work undoubtedly was the personal attention and advice she gave to nine scared, uncertain students taking a giant step toward a better world.
Today, be inspired to…Be interested and involved in your own neighborhood. It’s worthwhile investing in the place you live and spend most of your time.
Photo credit: wikipedia
She Made A Difference 