Little Rock Nine Analysis

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In September of 1957, the Soldiers of the 101st Airborne guided the Little Rock Nine students into Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. During this time in history, the United States was “a nation of racial inequalities and segregation” (The History Behind the Little Rock Nine). The country was forever changed by the “Crisis at Central High”, which was one of the first federally ordered integration acts. Nine black students defied racial segregation in public schools by enrolling at the all-white Central High School. These audacious students became a vital part of the fight for equality and change in the United States. A lot of the focus in history was around the students, but no one can forget the soldiers who played an important role in the events of that time. The soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division enabled the students to safely enter and exit school, during …show more content…
This was the unit who landed behind German lines on D-Day and fought in Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. Eisenhower knew exactly what he was doing and wanted to ensure that everyone around the world saw his actions. In the memoir “Little Rock Nine: Struggle for Integration”, Melba Patillo Beals says that “seing that soldier there with that 101st patch, made all the feelings of hatred disappear. That soldier was my guardian angel…”. The soldiers were able to serve as physical protection for the students and even provided a sign of mental relief with the slew of incidents that they faced. The 101st enabled the studetns to safely enter the school where the school principal and teachers were believed to be intimidated enough by the soldiers to protect the students, fearing government retaliation if anything happened to them after the soldiers were to leave (Grey