Little Rock 9

Little Rock Central High School, like many schools across the country, was segregated. Only white students were allowed to attend. But the Supreme Court had ruled that segregation, or the legal separation of blacks and whites in public facilities, was illegal. Nine students, who would be known as The Little Rock Nine, would be the first African Americans to attend Little Rock's Central High.

Early September of 1957, the nine had walked past an angry group of white protestors to the high school's entrance. That morning, Arkansas National Guardsmen had turned the nine away, and, along with police, stood by while the mob pelted the black students' cars with stones, assaulted them, and threatened their lives. But even though they were scared, the nine hadn't given up. Like many of the figures in what came to be known as the Civil Rights movement, they would keep trying.

September 24, the Little Rock Nine arrived at school and entered the building through a side door. A white student led them to the principal's office, where they were to register for classes. But when the protesters outside realized the students had entered the school, they exploded into violence. Once again, the Little Rock Nine were forced to leave the school. But again, they would not give up. The next day, the Little Rock Nine returned to Central High, this time protected by United States Army troops sent by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

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September 11, 2001

The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 brought forth new civil rights issues. Racial profiling, surveillance, discrimination, and privacy rights all came under heated debate as the federal government took measures to fight terrorism.

Because of the discrimination that occurred in the aftermath, civil rights organizations and activists have pushed for new legislation. Enacting civil rights legislation is important both to punish those who discriminate and to send a message that racism or bigotry in any form is "outside of acceptable behavior," said Professor Murray Friedman, a member of the U.S. delegation to a September 4, 2003 OSCE Conference on Racism, Xenophobia and Discrimination.

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