Century. Nine from little rock is a 1964 u. S. Information agency film. Narrated by jefferson thomas. One of the nine African American students who in 1957 enrolled in little rock arkansas all white central high school. Arkansas governor prevented the students from tanding class. Until president eisenhower sent 1,000 u. S. Army troops and federalized the 10,000 strong Arkansas National guard to restore order and enforce school desegregation. In the film mr. Thomas and several of the little rock nine reflect on their experience. Life beyond high school sp hopes for the future. The film won an Academy Award in 1965. Where do you begin . Where do you look . Like an ancient battlefield the ground is silent. Though people still move in familiar places. Now in this field, negro and white run together. Remembering not how it was in little rock, arkansas in 1957. Perhaps it is best tr those today to look where theyre going and not where they have been. But when youre a dark man in a country where the negro is demanding more and more and equal chance, you have the right to look back to discover if you are really moving forward or if the world is just moving beneath your feet. I have a special reason for looking back. My name is jefferson thomas. I am one of the nine from little rock. Theres nothing strange in seeing Nine American children walking to school on a september morning. But this was a special morning and a special part of america. A place where negro children had never gone to school with whites before. Hatred is easier to organize than understanding. And there was a minority in our state who found it to their advantage to bring hate to little rock. While we watched the white children went to school and we stood outside. We had been taught in school that we were a nation under law. And the law said segregation was wrong. Now we waited to see if our laws had meaning. Or just words in a book, or idle talk in a classroom. On september 27, 1957, president eisenhower sent 1,000 men of the United States army to carry out the law. The Supreme Court of the United States said the entire strength of the nation maybe used to enforce any any part of the land the security of all rights entrusted by the constitution. And that included my ragts and the rights of eight other negro americans who wanted to go to central i school in little rock, arkansas. We were terrence roberts, thelma, elizabeth, earnest green, carlotta walls, melba, Minnijean Brown, and gloria ray. And we were going to school again. Obviously in this town of 100,000 there were many who didnt like what was happening. But as we look at the soldiers, we knew there must be millions of others who thought we represented something important. When the doors closed behind us that day, it was both an end and a beginning. From that moment on we would be watched. Not only by those who looked at us as strangers. But by those who wondered if we would leave up to our new opportunity. I remember standing there wondering how history would judge us. Its been seven years since that first day. What has happened . Where have we gone . What have we done . I was the old etc. Of the nine. And perhaps the least serious. I came here to Southern Illinois university after graduation. At first i thought i wanted to be a nurse. I was too out going for that. Now i know i want to work in a newspaper. To be a journalist. And write. More than anything else in the world i want to write. This year i took a job in the university newspaper. I work as a reporter. 20 hours a week after class. Theres no substitute for writing under pressure. To have to get the story out. And to make it good. I remember the reporters who came from all over world to cover the story of little rock. To be able to take a story like that and put it into words is something i have always wanted to be able to do. Some day im going write a book about what happened in little rock. First, i have to learn more about writing. And about the world. And you can do that best in school. Teachers have helped me grow up. Hes a man who makes you want to go to school forever. Im going to work after i graduate. I applied to two newspapers and one already offered me a job. Im going to miss this university. The friendships i have made here are long and deep. Things i have learned here have helped me to come to terms with myself. For the first time in my life i have begun to understand why some americans act the way they do. I know now some americans have fear of the negro. Fear born in a way of life that has been dead in the country since the end of slavery. Thats what the mob in little rock was afraid of. That the negro who had done so much with no chance might do so much more with an equal one. [ bell ringing ] its been four years since i sood in in hall way. And watched the faces moving from class to class. None of this would seem strange to us now. We all want onto college where there were more whites an negro. Except elizabeth. She went to Central State College in ohio. Central state was founded as an all Negro College about 100 years ago. Today like most american schools its a mixture of negro and white. When i entered high school, i thought i wanted to be a lawyer. And then a teacher. And now like most students, i havent quite decided what i want to be. The world is a big place. When i go out into it i want to be sure i go in the right direction. If it hadnt been for that morning in september 1957, i could have gone into law or education. And not much about it. I was frightened that morning. I learned a great deal about people. Not only about the people who were there. But about the people who were not there. Like the politician who encouraged the mob. The thousands who suffered with me and wrote to tell me so. While i waited, i heard speak out against intolerance and saw grown men turn their heads in shame away from the camera. Central state is the Negro College that opened its doors to whites only 17 years ago. Today, 20 of the student body and faculty are white. And there are still knee fwroes who are against integration. The negro is like most americans possessing intolerance. And hoping that the few the uninformed will not be confused with the rest of us. Four years ago, a negro walked this hall in fear. Some of the hate outside had come inside. And there were a few who tried to impose their will on the many. When we went up a stair way, we hung onto the railing. Can i help you . Im looking for the room. Room 214. Thank you, very much. Any time. Thelma used to say the problems we had getting into the school were worth it. Just to be able to take courses from some of the teachers. Not surprising so many students like thelma wanted to go into teaching. I graduate this year from Southern Illinois university. At carbon dale. Going to college is tradition in my family. Thats why aapplied for central. I wanted a Good High School education. I wanted the best training i could get before i entered college. As prigs pra aspirations are personal things. I love to teach and i love children. Children are happy. Moody, difficult and wonderful. They accept me for what i am. After i finished college, i went to apply for job teaching in little rock. Maybe some day at central high. I wonder what it will be like. Thelma, carlotta and i had ms. Dun. None had seen a school with so much equipment before. It was the equipment that gave him the impression he wanted to be an engineer. Im glad he changed his mind. After i leave gn State University im going to work in the field of civil rights as a leader and organizer. Everyone the northern states youll find pocket of discrimination. Like all over the world. Theres a tide rising against it. And i want to be part of it. I came to Michigan State to study engineering. Three years ago i changed my mind. I decided i would rather work with people than with machines. Under professor i received my bachelors degree in socialology. Next week ill receive my masters. Im convinced that a White American can never fully understand what motivates the negro desire for equality the White American is becoming more concerned especially my generation. And that makes tomorrow worth dreaming about. The American Negro must protest and must also build understanding by searching for the truth. The truth or truth in science are becoming truth for truth in human relations. For the past two years i have been compiling data on the aspirations of negro and white children in a segregated community. Today we are capable of getting answers that have real meaning. The carry the power of fact against those who exploit rumor and prejudice. My research is just one part this a kquiet revolution thats taking place america. Its not alone a revolution in technology. But a revolution in thinking. A revolution that says man no matter how humble his birth, what color his skin, must be permitted to go as far as his mind and aspirations will take him. Earnny was the first to graduate from central. Carlotta and i were the last. We were the class of 1960. Carlotta goes to Denver University in colorado. Shes a good student. And she looks the high mountains out there. Gloria ray is a senior at Illinois Institute of technology. This year she receives her degree in chemistry. Terrence is studying for his degree in Business Administration at the city college of los angeles. Melba as we guessed married early. She wasnt in college over a year before she became a housewife. And me, this spring i take an examine to become a certified public account. Im supposed to be qualified to keep track of profits and losses. Im not sure i know enough yet to say what all this adds up to. I havent counted all the victories since the first day we went to school here. But i know theres been at least nine. In little rock, theres a slow bridge taking shape over the intolerance and ignorance. Its a bridge thats going to be built by us and by our children. Before its finish well have our problems. But if little rock taught nothing more it taught all americans that problems can make us better. Much better. American history tv is in prime time all week. Right here on cspan 3. Next time, our look at the 1957 forced desegregation of Little Rock Central High School continues. And friday night from American History tv oral history series. Interviews with prominent photo journalists who documented major events through American History. Watch American History tv this week in prime Time Starting at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Coming up. Ben carson testifies at an over sight hearing on capitol hill. Well have live coverage. At 9 30 a. M. Eastern time. And over on cspan it, Energy Secretary rick perry will testify at an over snigt hearing. Hes at the house energy and commerce committee. Thats live at 10 00 on cspan 2. Youre watching American History tv. 48 hours of programming on American History every weekend on cspan 3. Follow us on twitter. For information on our schedule. And to keep up with the latest history news. Now. We return to our look back at the integration of Little Rock Central High School. With a visit to the school. A u. S. Park ranger will show us around the historic site. Welcome to the Little Rock Central High SchoolNational Historic site. My name is spirit tricky. Im a park ranger at the site. And my significant tie to the story is the fact that my mother Minnijean Brown is one of the little rock nine. The name coined by the media to describe the first nine black students to