LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY PROJECT

LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY PROJECT

Little Rock Central High School Memory Project

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

Told Me I Couldn’t Say Yes Ma’am to Them; I Was Confused

by admin • June 30, 2010

I interviewed my grandfather, Neville Ray Barnes, in a cabin near the Ouachita River. The family was there for a few days over winter break visiting and catching up on things.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

It’s Hard for People to Change

by admin • May 26, 2010

The room that the interview took place in was the living room of my grandmother’s house. Her name is Jean Sigler; she was dressed in one of her jump suits. She had her glasses on and some of her jewelry.

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Beyond Schools, Essays From 2010

A One-Inch Thick Stick

by admin • May 17, 2010

I interviewed Joe Smith, who is my step grandfather on my father’s side. The interview took place on the phone. He was never a wealthy man. He grew up on a farm, in a part of the country, which at the time, was filled with poor colored folk.

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Beyond Schools, Essays From 2010

She Saw Everybody as One Color

by admin • May 17, 2010

It was about 7:30 at night on 2207 Singleton Cove. It was a nice night. This interview took place at my house. We were in my mom’s room and on her bed.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

He Wanted to get out of the Town and Never Come Back

by admin • May 13, 2010

Patrick J. Keogh, my dad, sat in the comfort of home as he retold his high school experience in a rural southern town. Patrick Keogh grew up in Marianna, Arkansas, near West Helena.

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Beyond Schools, Essays From 2010

Grandpa, The Fighter

by admin • May 13, 2010

I interviewed my grandfather. His name is Grady Moore. My grandfather is retired now, but he is a troop leader during his story. He was actually a leader of his cabin in the Korean War.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

Integration At Hall High

by admin • May 13, 2010

At the time of the interview Cathy Dupont was 61. she is a retired banker who is now working at the villa Italian restaurant as a manger. At the time of story being told she was 16, and in 10th grade Hall High school.

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Beyond Schools, Essays From 2010

Her Parents Taught Her About People Being Different But Equal

by admin • May 13, 2010

This interwiew was at Ms. Presley’s house in her living room. The living room was a fairly casual space; there were two armchairs and a sofa in the room.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

Why Did It Happen To America

by admin • May 13, 2010

The time was on a Sunday Afternoon after church, and Gene Dodson was heading back to church for Easter Dinner.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

Mixed Feelings About Everything

by admin • May 13, 2010

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, race was an issue most didn’t like to talk about. Whites stayed with whites, and blacks stayed with blacks. That was until 1957 when nine black students entered the doors of Little Rock Central High, an all white school.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

I Was Ashamed of How Faubus Acted and Myself for Being So Complacent

by admin • May 13, 2010

Integration wasn’t really a problem where she lived so she was able to look at the whole picture instead of just one side.

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Beyond Central, Essays From 2010

It’s Hard for People to Change

by admin • May 11, 2010

The room that the interview took place in was the living room of my grandmother’s house. Her name is Jean Sigler; she was dressed in one of her jump suits.

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About the Memory Project

The doors of Little Rock Central High School became gates of change on September 4, 1957, when nine African American students came to school for class — for the first time. Turned away by Arkansas Guard soldiers under orders from the Governor, they finally entered safely three weeks later when the President of the United States sent the 101st Airborne to enforce the Supreme Court’s rulings. And life changed in America. As dramatic as Central’s story is, students coming through those doors in later years have known little about it. This, too, is now changing. Central High students today are collecting the personal stories of family and neighbors who lived through historic and current civil rights struggles, not only at Central but across Arkansas, America, and the world. Every year, students in various Civics classes in Central are required to interview an elder and write an essay about that interview. These essays are then posted here, by the Memory Project Team. The Little Rock Central High Memory Project created this website to serve as a permanent online resource for students, teachers, historians and the families of those who share their stories. Since the debut of this website, the project has evolved and with the addition of new funds, a book featuring select essays from this website has been published, Beyond Central, Toward Acceptance. The book has been a success at promoting the Memory Project, being featured in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Arkansas Literary Festival, Today's THV, and its own launch event hosted by the Clinton School of Public Service. This website will feature a selection from editors in the future, selecting essays as a web addendum to the book, in addition to the yearly crop of essays. In addition to this, lesson plans will be hosted on this website so that educators can create their own memory projects across the country. The categories on this website are organized along the idea of an increasing scope, from Central, beyond that to schools across America, beyond that to desegregation in public life, further still, beyond race conflict, and further still, toward the advocates of change and solutions. It is our fondest hope that this project will foster understanding and promote acceptance and local and oral history in communities across the nation.

Copyright © 2013 LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY PROJECT. All Rights Reserved. Magazine Basic created by c.bavota.