Crisis at Central High

Hyperlinks to LRCHS Story: The 1957-58 School Year Little Rock's 'Lost Class' of 1959-The Story The 40th Anniversary The 50th Anniversary The Little Rock Nine News Releases 40th Anniversary Lessons From Little Rock-Terrance Roberts A Mighty Long Way -Carlotta Walls LaNier Finding the Lost Year: Afterward Editorials from '57 Tiger

52 Years Later Sondra Gordy:   Lost Class Panel-Clinton School-April 26, 2009 LRCHS Museum: Mike Wallace Remembers 1st Take:   Mike Wallace Interview of Ralph Brodie 1st Take:   Mike Wallace Interview of Ralph Brodie with Titles 2nd Take:   Mike Wallace Interview of Ralph Brodie Ralph Comments:   Mike Wallace's Archives Ralph Compares:   Old Mobile Station Museum to New Center 50th Class Reunion of 'Lost Class"

     The weekend of August 31, 1957 my father was driving me from Alexandria, Louisiana to our new home in Little Rock, Arkansas.   I was registered to begin school on September 3 as a junior at Little Rock Central High School.   I knew not what this year would do to the rest of my life.   This year is one that is documented in the history books.   We had no idea the turmoil that would follow in our new city.  You can click on the hyperlinks above to see, read, hear, and watch documents about the desgregation crisis.  Below is a sample photo, which shows what  had to be done to protect the Little Rock Nine later that month:

  photo from SBJC archive

However, I was in the band (can you find me in photo of half the band), played at all the games (the football team had another perfect season), won the local, regional, and state science fair in chemistry (but because of Sputnik was runnerup to represent the state in the National Science Fair of 1958-the grand prize winner was the physics student who built small rockets).  

photo from 1958 PIX (LRCHS annual)

Below is another page from the PIX show some of the photos not included at the Web sites noted above.  I still have the 1958 PIX.

Exit to John Taylor's  HCC Administrative Home Page

Exit to John Taylor's  FCCJ Home Page

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