Chris Cantell Discusses US News: Little Rock Nine mark 50th anniversary Notme

Fifty years ago, nine black students had the courage to attend the all white Central High School from Little Rock Arkansas. Later the group was called "Little Rock Nine" and now they returned in their home town to mark the 50 anniversary of the event.Back then, the black students were blocked from entering the school by a member of the Arkansas National Guard, stationed there by Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus as part of a campaign of "massive resistance" to a 1954 Supreme Court ruling that segregated classrooms were unconstitutional.But Eisenhower who was President back then, sent in troops from the 101st Airborne division to escort the group to class on 25 September 1957, dealing a crushing blow to opponents of the black civil rights movement.Former president Bill Clinton was there to hold open the school's doors in a symbolic gesture."I am grateful we had a Supreme Court that saw 'separate but equal' and 'states' rights' for the shams they were, hiding our desire to preserve the oppression of African-Americans," he said."I am grateful more than I can say that we had a president who was determined to enforce the order of the court."The first graduate from the group of nine, Ernest Green Jr., now a successful director of public finance for Wall Street stalwart Lehman Brothers, remembers how he was tripped on the stairs, attacked in the halls or pushed out of lunchroom lines."A lot of people don't realize," he said, "that there is still racial injustice in this country."

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070925/ap_on_re_us/integration_anniversary;_ylt=AhkSITTiV5tRdISccULPWvWs0NUE

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