Little Rock Nine

Bibliography:

Poe, M. (2008). Little Rock Nine. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 120 pp.

Genre:

Graphic Novel-Historical Fiction

Little Rock Nine is a graphic novel detailing the integration of Central High School in 1957. The book focuses on the experience of two families (one white, one black) as they struggle through the social implications of desegregating Central High School following the Supreme Court ruling in the matter of Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education.

In the novel, June, the black mother of Thomas, works as a maid in a white lawyer’s home. The white lawyer is in favor of integrating schools, but his racist relic of a father is not. Offensive racist statements flood the novel as the white grandfather attempts to convince his grandson Will that integration will ruin their comfortable lifestyle. Will supports integration and convinces Thomas to give integration another chance after a failed attempt the previous year.

Thomas’ parents June and Henry fear he will be hurt if he attempts to attend Central High. The Mississippi Ku Klux Klan lynched Henry’s brother because of his dedication to “the Cause.” Thomas’ parents voice their concern that the same thing could happen to him.

Thomas and his eight friends work with Mrs. Bates, an NAACP representative, to prepare for the violent mob scene expected at the schoolhouse doors.

Orval Faubus, governor of Arkansas, calls out the National Guard to supposedly control the crowd, but when students attempt to enter Central High, a soldier blocks their entrance. Finally, President Eisenhower orders the 101^st Airborne Division of the U.S. Army to escort the nine black students into Central High School. Eight months later, Ernest Green becomes the first African-American to graduate from Central High School.

The following fall, Governor Faubus ordered Little Rock public high schools closed for the year to prevent further integration.

Little Rock Nine humanized the desegregation of Central High School for me. Until reading this book, I did not realize how many attempts black students made to desegregate the school. I also was not aware that Governor Faubus closed Little Rock public high schools for the entire 1958-1959 school year to prevent further integration. I thought that the book author must have made some sort of mistake when I read that fact, but I looked it up and that school year is known as “The Lost Year” in Little Rock. I cannot believe Faubus was able to do so many harmful things to that Little Rock community of learners.

I recommend this book for independent reading in or outside of the classroom. The content is appropriate for all adolescents.