Finally got to visit one of the top parks on my bucket list today. The timing is impeccable. Today marks the 65th anniversary since the Little Rock Nine’s *attempted* first day of school at @centralhighnps. Sharing more from the park’s website: In 1957, nine ordinary teenagers walked out of their homes and stepped up to the front lines in the battle for civil rights for all Americans. The media coined the name “Little Rock Nine" to identify the first African American students to desegregate Little Rock Central High School In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court decision outlawed segregation in public education. Little Rock School District Superintendent devised a plan of gradual integration that would begin at Central High School in 1957. The school board called for volunteers from all-Black Dunbar Junior High and Horace Mann High School to attend Central Prospective students were told they would not be able to participate in extracurricular activities if they transferred to Central. Many of their parents were threatened with losing their jobs, and some students decided to stay at their own schools On September 3, 1957 the Little Rock Nine arrived to enter Central High School but they were turned away by the Arkansas National Guard. Governor Orval Faubus called out the Arkansas National Guard the night before to, as he put it, “maintain and restore orde” The soldiers barred the African American students from entering The students arrived at Central alone on the first day. By prior arrangement, they gathered at the 16th St entrance with several local ministers who accompanied them. Elizabeth Eckford arrived at the other end of the block by herself. She was met by a mob screaming obscenities and threats, chanting, “Two, four, six, eight, we ain’t gonna integrate!” More than two weeks went by before the Little Rock Nine again attempted to enter Central High School. On September 23, 1957 the Little Rock Nine entered the school. Outside, rioting broke out and the Little Rock police removed the Nine for their safety #SmallParkSaturday 📍Indigenous land of the Osage, Caddo, Chickasaw, Tunica, and Quapaw Indians