Nine students
desegregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Those 9 students,
and others who followed shortly after, endured pervasive harassment. We spoke
with Dr. Sybil
Jordan Hampton today about experiences with desegregation at
Central High that clearly still haunts her. She encouraged us to take advantage
of our educational opportunities because she sacrificed for us.
Roscoe Jones and Kurt
Carrington expressed their worries that the efforts they made to bring the vote
to the disenfranchised were for naught. They weren't disheartened, though, to
see low turn outs the polls, at least they didn't express that to us. It
inspired me that they are still looking forward to making a difference everyday
and in the future.
Every activist we met
with encouraged us to create change. They shared their frustration that our
generation has not stepped up to be the foot soldiers of the continuing
struggle. Young people who do not take advantage of their right to vote
dishearten them, and students who don't/can't fully embrace the opportunities
of desegregated education. They do not want their pain and sacrifices to have
been in vain. I hope that I can make a difference in the struggle, but I'm
still not sure how. I worry that I would not be as brave as they were.
Eva Schneiderman,
12th grade,
The Park School
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