Sixty-four years ago, on May 17, 1954, the Supreme Court handed down the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision declaring school segregation unconstitutional. Three years later, nine black students, known as the “Little Rock Nine,” enrolled in Central High School, a formerly all-white high school in Little Rock, Ark., under protection of the National Guard. Their bravery in the face of discrimination and hatred made them prominent voices in the civil rights era, and inspired generations of activists in their pursuit of equality and justice.
Nowadays, Zia Tollette, a student at Central High School, says the stories of the “Little Rock Nine” have made a deep impression on her. She is part of a student-led club that preserves the lessons of the civil and human rights struggles of the past. In this video, Tollette explains her personal connection to history and the importance of political activism in K-12 schools.
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- Decades After Brown v. Board, Unequal Class Offerings Remain a Problem
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