Melba Pattillo Beals

One of the Little Rock Nine

Melba Beals was 15 years old when she became one of the Little Rock Nine,  nce she got through the doors of Cenral High School, protected by the soliders of the 101st Airborne, her battle had only begun.  Before the day was over, the Nine were sent home because the crowd outside was becoming so threatning.  The next day, The Associated Press wired Melba's story to newspapers around the nation.  These are Melb's own Words.

Would you have exchanged places with me and entered central as I did this morning? I went, and I am glad. Previous to making actual entrance in Central, I had feelings that I'm sure have never been experienced by a child of 15 years.  Seansations of courage, fear and challenge haunted me.  With the morning, came my definite decision: I must go. I was beginning to believe that the long hard fight was over, that finally this American way of lige was giong to pay off.  As I walked through the halls alone it seemed as if I were lost on an island, and island of strange people, having no way of commuicationg with them.  I longed to tell them, " I won't hurt you, honest, give me a chance, come on.  How about it? I'm an average teenager, just like yourself, with the same aspirations and heartaches."  But it was useless.  Only a few facial expressions told me I had gooten through. -Melba Patillo, September, 1957, Little Rock Arkansas Excerpted from: Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Patillo Beals, Simon & Schuster, 1994

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