Elizabeth Eckford In The 1950's

Women of the 1950’s through the 1960’s are ridden with male oppression and self-esteem issues. The book Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates and an episode of Mad Men titled The Shoot have a lot in common. The differences and similarities between the leading women in both of these stories from the 1950’s show that times are different today. The women of the 1950’s had a dream for the future and their dream has finally become a reality for American women. From Mad Men, Betty Draper’s dream of becoming a model and in Revolutionary Road, April Wheeler’s dream of traveling the world are actual realities for women today. Their dreams show similarities, differences and the “American Dream” that every woman has.

As the first female to run for presidency in 1872, Victoria Woodhull defied the stereotypes that society has placed on the female gender in the 1800’s. At the era where women were not allowed to speak their minds, complain, or even have any desire for independence, she was able to create a standing for those without a voice. From creating her own radical publication to the establishment of the Equal Rights Party, Woodhull was known to be quite a bold and outspoken person. But in a society where a woman's opinion was viewed to be unrealistic and unimportant, she was often disregarded; even so this did not drag her down as she aimed to change the world.

Transferring to a new school is a hard experience for a normal kid alone. Going to a new, all-white school as a black student in 1957 makes the experience even tougher. In the memoir Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, Melba and eight others, known as the Little Rock Nine, risk everything in order to attend their local high school, Central High. Living in Little Rock, Arkansas, these students take the courageous step to attend an all-white school in a society filled with segregationists. The Little Rock Nine battle the bullies of Central High, trying to avoid acid in their eyes to eggs in their hair. Through this rough experience, the Nine graciously receive important help from many allies. Throughout the memoir, Melba receives protection

In the autobiography “Coming of age in Mississippi” by Anne Moody known as Essie Mae in the book she writes in great detail the struggles her and other people of her color had to go through in order to gain their rights. From such a young age she saw the differences in the way people of color were treated in comparison to whites, things that no one should go through much less a kid. From the beginning you see that Essie Mae is such a brilliant kid and all the trials she goes through and the knowledge and fire instilled in her leads her to be such a powerful activist in the fight for black equality. I think that at such an early age she started to notice the differences between people of color and whites. One incident that happened that led to her to questioning was an incident at the theater where the blacks would have to seat in the balcony and whites could seat in the bottom level but when they were at the theater they sat her “white friends “there so Essie and her brother and sister followed them to the bottom level. While her mother was not noticing what was going on, when she finally noticed she began to start yelling and pulling them out the door later on Essie 's mother explaining to them how they could not do this or that with white children. After the movie incident happened they never played with them again. This incident put thoughts in Essie Mae 's at such an early age. This made her do a lot of thinking about the differences between people of her color and

Not only on Ruby’s first day to Williams Frantz Elementary School but, every morning as Ruby went to school there stood a large crowd of people outside of the school throwing things at her and shouting at her because of the fact that she was an African American. Parents were so angry because of the Ruby attending the school that they started pulling their children out of the school. Ruby and her family went through a lot for their decision to send her to William Frantz Elementary. Teachers were refusing to teach while a black child was enrolled at their school. There was only one teacher that agreed to teach Ruby her name was Barbara Henry. Her father lost his job, there were stores that they shopped at that could no long step a foot in. Ruby was a strong little girl she showed a lot of courage. She never cried nor whimpered. Till this day Ruby still visits the school as an inspirational speaker against racism.

The first thing she had to accomplish was to pass the test and prove everyone wrong.As, she completed the test she thought how her life was going to be different a good life for her family and herself yet.What she thought wasn’t what she got instead of being treated like others she had even more disrespect upon herself and family they were all abused mentally and racially they were banned from their grocery store.They were also put out of their town because of their daughter.She was taken every day to school by the police and walk through an angry crowd she also had to get through the fact that she was never going to be treated like the other children.She had to believe that she was okay and that she did nothing wrong that she was standing up for herself and not letting anyone get into her path onto

Elizabeth Eckford was part of an association that became recognized as the Little Rock Nine. Due to the segregation of Central, there had been one high school for blacks, Dunbar; one high school for whites, Central High School. Expecting that there may be more opportunities accessible to her at Central that was not available at Dunbar. She was not arranged for what actually happened.

Rosa’s early childhood had brought her many experiences with racial discrimination. Parks had attended a segregated, one room school in Pine Level, Alabama. The school that she had attended lacked school supplies such as desks, and while Africa-American students had to walk to the 1st- through 6th- grade schoolhouse the white kids were provided with transportation as well as a new school building. Rosa had attended other segregated schools in Montgomery. For example, the

On 1957, Elizabeth Eckford was on her way to her new school after the Brown v. Board of Education case declared separate public schools to be unconstitutional. On her way, photographers caught the moment where Hazel is seen shouting at young Elizabeth. Years later they reunited and got their picture taken which became the more dominant and is now displayed at the Little Rock visitor center over the original one. The visitor center should display both of the photos equally of Elizabeth and Hazel.

She experienced discrimination in many ways. When Ruby would go to school she would have Marshals take her inside and stay with her all day. Outside of the school would be protestors saying hateful and terrible words to Ruby. Many of the families pulled their children out of school because they did not want to risk their child's protection “Even if the parents believed in integration, they didn’t want to put their children in danger by sending them to class” (26, Bridges). Society was taught to shun African Americans but not everyone believed that. While some families refused to send their child to school others didn’t. For example The Gabrielle's were a brave family who sent their six year old, Yolanda, to the same school as Ruby. The Gabrielle's “refused to be bullied by the protesters” (28, Bridges). Society has taught to shun African Americans but families like the Gabrielle's don't care what society has taught. They were brave and courageous to stand up against society and send their child to an integrated school even though many parents wouldn't

Finally, Eric Burn does a very good job in contrasting the myth of the roaring twenties. When people think of the roaring twenties, they instantly imagine the flappers dancing around while having a good time. Eric Burn contradicts such myths and presents the roaring twenties through a different perspective, and that is that the 1920’s wasn’t an era of pure happiness, but rather one with its ups and downs. The events presented within, “1920: the year that made the decade roar,” were interesting and attention grabbing which made the reading even more fun. Burn was able to achieve persuasion through the use of evidence, which successfully allowed Burn to prove his main argument and fulfill his main objective. By the time I was done with the book,

Elizabeth Eckford’s traumatizing experience showed the world that there was a big problem with the blacks were being treated, but also held some untrue information. After the picture taken of ELizabeth in front of Central it was said, “She became a symbol for the Little Rock crisis… When Elizabeth Eckford confronted the angry mob at Little Rock Central High School in 1957, the fight for equal rights was under way”(Tougas, 10+12). She became the poster child for the civil rights movement, and it caused an uproar internationally. 40 years later though, “Will Counts returned to Little Rock and arranged for Elizabeth and Hazel to pose for him again...Their first meeting was predictably awkward… Then, quietly, Elizabeth and Hazel discovered something

She was one of only six Black children to pass the test to attend White school. Along with attending White school she had to be escorted because of the White riots that were set up. That set up the split between the races. It was apparent people did not like combined race schools, but on the other hand some approached it in a good manner. One teacher actually sat and taught Bridges and cared for her while no other individual would show her any care.

The group’s first day of school was on September 24, 1957. Daisy Bates, the organizer of the event, telephoned the families of the nine students to inform them that they would all arrive at the school as together for their personal safety. However one member of the Little Rock Nine did not receive this message, due to her family’s lack of a telephone. Thus, Elizabeth Eckford faced her day of school alone. As soon as she walked down the street, she began to realize that she was surrounded by a crowd. The crowd grew more and more aggressive towards her as time continued to pass. Eckford even recalled when an old woman with a kind face “spat at her” (Eckford). When she had finally arrived at the school, she was prohibited from entering. Governor

Stacy was the subject of and witness of a number of traumatic situations. She ended up with high levels of stress, anger, and anxiety as a result. She did not receive any support for what she was going through. Through her experiences with racism and school discipline, she could not trust the school to help her, thus she had to “keep stuff in” (Wun 2015:188). The institution was built in a way that left Black girls without protection from the violence in their lives.