Little Rock Turns Out to Honor Nine Who Integrated Central High School

Overcast skies and a light drizzle did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd of over 5000 at the Little Rock Central High 50^th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony. The day was a celebration of how far society has come, but mixed with the celebratory speeches came sharp rebukes from members of the Little Rock Nine, Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola and President Bill Clinton.

"The real issue is to understand the difference between the word desegregation and the word integration," said Stodola. "It's time for every citizen in Little Rock to come together and make good on the debt we owe them [the Little Rock Nine.]" Stodola pointed out that Little Rock has the largest black middle class in its history, but over 35% of black children live in poverty.

All of the Little Rock Nine left the city after graduation,and some of them only returned after much persuasion.

"I'm so glad I because I get to see your faces." Mebla Pattillo Beals said, noting that one of the main reasons she returned to Little Rock was because of President Clinton. "My brother at the time was a state trooper working with him and my brother called me up and said 'Bill Clinton is good people. Come on home, ain't nothing gonna happen to you while he's in the governor's chair, and now Senator Clinton offers the same promise for the nation," Beals said to thunderous applause. "I see hope in your faces... We're going to make it."

Each of the Little Rock Nine was able to speak briefly at the ceremony, and each exhorted the crowd to carry the torch for civil and human rights. In the midst of the serious tone of the speeches, there were moments of levity. Jefferson Thomas recounted standing at the sight of the Confederate battle flag and singing Dixie after mistaking it for the Central High Tiger fight song and the Arkansas state flag.

The ceremony closed with remarks from President Clinton who joked that it would be the last time that he would talk while his wife listened. Clinton told the crowd that the in 1957, he was an eleven year old boy in Hot Springs living with grandparents who were in favor of integration, but that he just followed their lead and agreed with their position. He said the Little Rock Nine made him have to choose between having an opinion and having conviction. "I am grateful that they made me choose. Everyone should have that moment when an opinion becomes a conviction."

The day's celebrations continued with tours of Central High School and the new $6 million visitor's center.