Revisiting the Little Rock Nine experience with Ernest Green

World Footprints

On September 23, 1957, Ernest Green and eight other African American high school students, known as the ‘Little Rock Nine’, integrated the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This event was the first experiment in school integration came three years after the U.S, Supreme Court’s Brown vs. Board of Education landmark ruling that segregation of public schools is unconstitutional. One year later, in 1958, Ernest Green became the first African-American student to graduate from Central High. He was also the only one of the Little Rock Nine to graduate from the high school. World Footprints revisits U.S. civil rights history and school segregation through the eyes of Ernest Green. Our poignant conversation uncovered things we didn’t know about that event in history. Our interview was also personal because it came about after Mr. Green saw that Tonya mentioned him in her AAA World Magazine when she noted that Green and her late father were college friends at Michigan State University. Coincidentally, we spoke to Mr. Green on the birthday of Tonya’s dad. This episode focuses on the social impact of Ernest Green’s life journey—a different type of travel experience--and his role in the civil rights movement. It’s powerful and inspiring.