Surviving members of the Little Rock Nine – Black students who were the first to desegregate schools and break the color barrier in Arkansas – said they are “as bewildered as they were” more than 65 years ago by moves around the nation to limit access to portions of American history.
“Suppressing knowledge does not serve us well,” said Elizabeth Eckford, one of the students who braved racist protesters to attend school during the Civil Rights Movement.
Eckford spoke Monday during events to mark the anniversary of the Little Rock Nine’s efforts to desegregate Central High School in Arkansas’ capital city. Five of the eight surviving civil rights leaders attended the event.
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