Home / War and Conflict / Army's hidden role in Little Rock Nine revealed
Army's hidden role in Little Rock Nine revealed
11 Nov
Summary
- Black paratroopers were present but unseen during integration.
- Hezekiah Brown and Carlotta Walls LaNier shared stories in D.C.
- LaNier faced daily discrimination before attending Central High.
Hezekiah Brown, a veteran of the 101st Airborne Division, and Carlotta Walls LaNier, a member of the Little Rock Nine, recently reunited to share their powerful stories with cadets at the American Veterans Center's annual conference in Washington D.C. This event offered a unique opportunity for the two figures, who were present during the pivotal 1957 integration of Little Rock's Central High School, to reflect on their experiences.
Brown, then a young paratrooper, recounted his arrival in Little Rock to protect the Black students integrating the all-white school. He shared that while White soldiers escorted the Little Rock Nine, he and other Black soldiers from his division were stationed separately, unable to directly support the students they were deployed to safeguard. This separation, he explained, was due to the tense racial climate and concerns about escalating conflict.
LaNier, who was 14 and the youngest of the Little Rock Nine, detailed the pervasive discrimination she experienced in the Jim Crow South. She recalled the daily realities of segregation, from segregated facilities to being relegated to the back of buses. Despite these challenges and the resistance she faced upon attempting to integrate Central High, LaNier was determined to pursue her education.
The historical context of 1957 Little Rock was fraught with tension. Governor Orval Faubus initially deployed the National Guard to prevent the Black students' entry, followed by President Eisenhower's order to send in the 101st Airborne. While the presence of troops ultimately allowed the students to attend classes, the emotional and psychological toll on them was significant, with incidents of spitting, pushing, and vandalism occurring.
Decades later, Brown and LaNier's dialogue highlighted the complex layers of history and the often-unseen contributions of individuals like the Black paratroopers. LaNier expressed gratitude for the eventual support, while also hoping such difficult circumstances requiring military intervention for school integration would not be repeated. Brown, a professional mediator, found reflection on these events deeply meaningful.
