Warriors Don't Cry

The battle to integrate continues when President Eisenhower calls on the 101st Airborne Division to enforce the integration and protect the nine students from mobs and other dangers. This event was a huge success for the black community, and especially for the parents of the Little Rock Nine. Grandma India celebrated the moment and said,"More of God's handiwork... Who'd a thought Mr. Faubus' mistreatment of our nine little children would bring the President and the 101st down on his head" (127). Saying this amidst tears, Melba's loving grandmother understands the importance of this decision of the president not only to protect the nine, but to champion the cause of integration. It seems that for a time the successes only grow. Soon after the guard arrived, the students were able to attend Central High School. Beals reminisces, "Step by step we climbed upward-where none of my people had ever before walked as a student. We stepped up to the fron door of Central High School and crossed the threshold into that place where angry segregationist mobs had forbidden us to go" (133). This first push into the school begins a new chapter of adventure and abuse for the students as they now face the hatred of the children of the mobs who kept them out for so long.

As there were innumerable instances of racism that the students faced, they had opportunities to show their character as strong crusaders and stand up for their people. One of these instances occurred when Melba was asked if she would rather be white by a reporter and responded, "Do you wish you were Negro?...I'm proud of who I am. My color is inconvenient right now, but it won't always be like this" (144). The stand Melba took was so powerful as to cause a nearby African American journalist to ask Melba to write about her experiences and further the public's understanding of what the Little Rock Nine faced in Central High School. Through physical as well as verbal abuse, Melba was forced to stand above it and prove herself to be better than the hooligans who tormented her. After being attacked by a group of boys and kicked in the shins and stomach, Melba struggled to stand. Her bodyguard Danny encouraged her, "Stand tall... let's move out" (148). Although she had just been knocked to the ground and greatly injured, Melba could not afford to show a weakness because of her already dangerous situation. This need to be super-humanly strong physically drained all of the students, but was imperative to their success and survival.

Citation:
Beals, Melba Pattillo. Warriors Don't Cry. New York: Washington Square Press, 1994.