Lessons of Little Rock

Sept. 23, 2007 — -- Looking at the pictures, it is hard to imagine that it happened in America, but it did, and not so long ago: Fifty years ago in Little Rock, Ark., white adults hurled insults and jeers at nine black teenagers who just wanted to go to school.

It was the first test of the Supreme Court decision striking down the separate-but-equal doctrine that had kept schools legally segregated.

In September 1957, the nine black students trying to integrate Little Rock Central High School were repeatedly blocked by the Arkansas National Guard, under orders from the governor.

After weeks of crisis, on Sept. 25, President Eisenhower brought in the U.S. Army -- and the Little Rock Nine, as they came to be called, finally enrolled.

Today, Little Rock Central High School is more than half black and it is one of the best public high schools in the country, sending students each year to the nation's best colleges.

But while there is no longer anger between the races at Central, both teachers and students admit there is not much mixing either.

"I think Central is two schools," said teacher Cynthia Mahomes. "I'm not necessarily saying it is by design, but I think the way it happens, the reality ... is that there are two schools. ... There's a black school and a white school."

Two former Little Rock residents, brothers Brent and Craig Renaud, spent most of last year filming at Central High School. Their film, "Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later," airs Tuesday on HBO.

They found that the division exists in and out of class. Most black students arrive by bus, while the wealthier white students drive. They eat separately at lunch and they often play different sports after school. The golf team last year was all white.

When one of the Little Rock Nine, Minnijean Brown Trickey, returned to the school, she immediately noticed how the classroom she was addressing had divided itself by race. It "disturbs the hell out of me," she told them.

At first, they didn't realize what she was talking about.