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Rep. Cohen Remembers Little Rock 9 with Whitehaven HS Seniors

December 7, 2007


“Fifty years ago, the Little Rock Nine made history when they boldly took it upon themselves to integrate an all-white southern high school,” said Congressman Cohen. “In tribute to their courage, the Congress passed a law creating a silver dollar honoring them and the fiftieth anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. I’m presenting the Whitehaven Senior Class with this commemorative coin because I never want their legacy to be forgotten in this area.”

In the landmark 1954 decision of Brown v. Board of Education, the United States Supreme Court declared racial segregation in the public schools of the United States of America unconstitutional. The events in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957 were an important step in the country’s quest for racial equality in public education.

On September 25, 1957, Little Rock Central High School was the site of the first major national test for the implementation of the U.S. Supreme Court decision. The desegregation of the school by the Little Rock Nine became a prominent example of equality under the rule of law, serving as a catalyst for the desegregation of other schools across the South.

“This event remains one of the most important of the Civil Rights era,” explained Congressman Cohen. “On the fiftieth anniversary of that monumental act of bravery, I wanted to remind students in Memphis of the courage and the dedication of the Little Rock Nine. Were it not for the courage of people like (Little Rock Nine students) Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Melba Pattillo, Carlotta Walls, Terrence Roberts, Jefferson Thomas and Gloria Ray, this country might be a very different place today.”

Congressman Cohen added, “I had a chance to visit with the students after the presentation of the coin, and they are a remarkable group of seniors destined for great things. The ceremony provided an opportunity for all of us to reflect on the great strides made toward achieving equality for all Americans and to recognize the distance still to go.”

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Contact:
Marilyn Dillihay, Press Secretary, (202) 225-3265/ (202) 368-9275 (mobile)
Charlie Gerber, Communications Assistant, (202) 225-3265 / (202) 320-2817 (mobile)