Little Rock Crisis

September 24, 1957

U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower orders federal troops to enforce the court order allowing blacks to enter Central High School in Little Rock. Three weeks earlier, Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus had ordered the Arkansas National Guard to prevent nine blacks from entering all-white Central High School, in what became known as the Little Rock Crisis. Eisenhower then federalized the Arkansas National Guard removing them from Faubus’ control and then sent in elements of the 101st Airborne Division to protect the black students. In retaliation, Faubus shut down all four Little Rock public high schools for the 1958-59 school year, in what is referred to as “The Lost Year.” The students became known as “The Little Rock Nine,” and in 1999 were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by U.S. President Bill Clinton.