Elizabeth Eckford
By Kristina
Elizabeth was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. In the year of the horse, 1942, she, just like all other black children went to segregated schools. She, like eight other black children, attended Little Rock Central High. She was fifteen when she went into the school. At first, like the rest of the children, she was very happy to attend the all white school. But that all changed when she got at the school. She was bombarded with flying objects. White folks yelled and spit at and on her. She was not welcome at all. The army was there for their protection, but they did nothing but stand there.
Although all that was happening,
she was so full of pride that she still attended the school to show that she was
not scared at all. She was happy to report that she graduated from the school
also. In 1958 Elizabeth Eckford moved to St. Louis, Missouri where she achieved
the necessary qualifications to study for a B.A. in history. After university
she became the first African American in St. Louis to work
in a bank in a non-janitorial position. She moved back to Little Rock and is now
a mom. In
1997, she received the Father Joseph Biltz Award from the National Conference
for Community and Justice. This award is given annually to recognize those
individuals in Arkansas who have contributed to the organization's mission of
promoting understanding and respect among all races.
http://www.centralhigh57.org/The_Little_Rock_Nine.html
http://home.swbell.net/chmuseum/profiles/eepro.html
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAeckford.htm