1 What event in 1987 gave Beals hope for the future of race relations in America? Aretha Franklin is inducted into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame A family of a man murdered by the KKK are awarded $7 million in damages. Teddy Seymour becomes first black man to sail around the world Little Rock unveils statues of the Little Rock Nine, and white and black residents celebrate together 2 Why is the ceremony honoring the Little Rock Nine ironic? No white people attend the ceremony The ceremony is held at Little Rock Central, a place of great trauma for the Little Rock Nine The statues are raised on a spot where the students "could have been hanged" Governor Clinton's family opposed integration, but as an adult he honors the Little Rock Nine 3 How does Melba Beals describe her understanding of race as a child? By age three, she understood what racism was and became anxious over it She knew what racism was intellectually, but never experienced it firsthand She was afraid of white people, but she didn't know why She "didn't see color," and had friends of every race 4 How does Grandma India counsel Melba to deal with segregation? She affirms that Melba is "just as worthy as anyone else" She warns Melba "not to speak up about it" She instructs Melba to "tell God all about it" She encourages Melba to "resist injustice" 5 Why does Melba feel racism steals "a teaspoonful of your self-esteem each day"? Because of her own childhood experices, Mother Lois feels Melba shouldn't get an education Melba cannot enjoy television shows or books, because all popular culture features racist jokes Because the institutions meant to protect Melba are racist, she cannot safely stand up for herself Since Horace Mann and Central High are next to each other, Melba has to see inequality every day 6 Why do Melba's parents divorce? Their relationship cannot take the stress of Melba integrating Central High Melba's father does not want Grandma India to live with them Mother Lois resents that her husband cannot defend her from the white men who harass her Melba's father refuses to complete his college education and get a better-paying job 7 How does Melba feel about her neighborhood before she integrates Little Rock Central High? It is a dangerous place that she wants to escape It is a safe place where she can be herself She wishes it was more glamorous, like Cincinnati She resents living in a tightly-knit community with little privacy 8 Why does Melba leave school early on the day Brown v. Board of Education is decided? Melba gets sick from worrying over the decision Melba cannot wait to tell her mother the good news Melba is now required to attend the white school closer to her home Her teacher is afraid the students will be targets of racial violence 9 Why doesn't Melba's family report the attempted rape to the police? The police are racist and might harm Melba further They do not believe Melba If they explain how Melba escaped, the police will apprehend Marissa for assaulting a white man Melba's father wants to take revenge on the rapist 10 What activity ignites Melba's passion for writing? Winning a prize for a poem she wrote Drafting letters to God in her diary Helping Mother Lois create lesson plans Reading Shakespeare with Grandma India 11 Why does Melba initially sign up to integrate Central High? She is told all selected students get to meet Thurgood Marshall, her role model She values education and knows Central High is a prestigious school She knows Grandma India will be proud of her if she "fights for justice" She wants to "stick it to" the white children who bully her 12 Why does Melba want to move to Cincinnati? Her friend Minnijean moves to Cincinnati to escape racial violence Being in an integrated society relieves her fear of racism, which she experiences daily in Little Rock After the divorce, her father moves to Cincinnati, and she wants her family to be united She is selected to integrate Cincinnati Central High 13 Why do members of Melba's community react negatively to the news of integration? They are jealous their children were not selected They feel Melba's attitude makes her a bad representative for the community They know segregationists will target all Black folks, not just the Little Rock Nine They resent the constant presence of news reporters and police in the city 14 In addition to fears for her safety, why does Melba worry about integrating Central High? Her friends spread rumors she is going to Central to date a white boy She has a heart condition that is exacerbated by stress Her boyfriend, Vince, threatens to break up with her if she goes to Central High She worries she will not be able to compete academically with students from well-funded schools 15 Why does Mother Lois slap Melba for the first and only time in her life? Melba says God can't be real, since horrible things are happening to her Melba talks back to Grandma India, who opposes integration Melba refuses to leave the mob without Mother Lois, which could get her killed Melba sneaks out to meet Vince, putting herself in grave danger 16 Why is Elizabeth Eckford put in more danger than the rest of the Little Rock Nine? She is biracial, making her particularly hated by segregationists Her mother runs the Arkansas State Press, a Civil Rights newspaper She has a severe heart condition that is triggered by stress Since she doesn't have a phone, she shows up to school alone 17 How do news outlets put Melba in danger? They leak the Nine's names and home addresses They refuse to play an emergency message from President Eisenhower They broadcast a speech by Orval Faubus where he encourages segregationists to "use force" to prevent integration They encourage the police to patrol Black neighborhoods 18 Why are the Little Rock Nine brought to court? To testify about their experiences on the first day of school To watch Orval Faubus's federal trial To overturn Daisy Bate's arrest To defend themselves against accusations that they are part of a "communist group" 19 Why does Melba begin to resent integration? Vince breaks up with her Grandma India becomes stricter It becomes too dangerous for her to leave the house News reporters take her words out of context to make her look foolish 20 How does the school administration respond to the Little Rock Nine's complaints of violence and harassment? Most ignore the complaints or blame the Nine for antagonizing white students Most listen sympathetically but are unable to do much without an adult witness They join in on the harassment and call the children slurs They meticulously document every incident for the NAACP 21 Why do the Little Rock Nine leave school early? President Eisenhower issues an executive order delaying integration The mob breaks onto school property to murder them They begin to feel ill, as other students poison their food They are suspended for fighting back against bullies 22 Why does the federal government get involved with the Little Rock Crisis? Popular opinion calls for Eisenhower to resign if he doesn't enforce the law A state governor defying federal orders and allowing mob rule makes the nation look weak Arkansas threatens to secede from the United States if Eisenhower doesn't get involved President Eisenhower is a Civil Rights leader and morally appalled by Governor Faubus 23 How do the other Central High students initially react to the Little Rock Nine? They ignore the nine and refuse to speak with them They welcome the nine and show them around campus They treat the nine like any other students They threaten and harass the nine during all hours of the school day 24 Why doesn't Orval Faubus attend his own hearing? He knows if he "sees the nine in person" he will be moved to sympathy He "refuses to be tried in an integrated room" He believes that as governor, he "does not have to appear to answer a summons" Without money for bail, he "skips town rather than face his day in court" 25 Why is Melba afraid to testify in court? She is not a very good public speaker The NAACP tells her not to complain, but Melba is incensed over her mistreatment To testify, she will have to remove her sunglasses, showing the court she has been crying She promised Mother Lois she would never tell what really happened on the first day of school
