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TRANSCRIPT
Constitutional Writes
Park News National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior
Fall/Winter 2004-2005Volume 2, Issue 2The official newsletter of Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Central High School National Historic SiteDedicates Restored Reflecting Pool
Continued on pg. 4
Black and White Photos Above:The original Central High Reflecting
Pool, The Pix yearbook.
On September 26, 2004, Little RockCentral High School National HistoricSite, together with the Little Rock SchoolDistrict and AARP Arkansas, commemo-rated the 47th anniversary of the CentralHigh crisis and dedicated the newlyrestored reflecting pool in front of theschool. Nearly 600 people gathered toremember the courage of the Little RockNine—the nine African-Americanteenagers who desegregated the school in1957—and commemorate one of the mostimportant events of the Civil RightsMovement. United States Senator MarkPryor, who attended Central High beforemoving to Washington, D.C. with hisfamily when his father was elected to theSenate, gave the keynote address. Otherspeakers included Superintendent MikeMadell, Central High Principal NancyRousseau, and Little Rock School DistrictSuperintendent Dr. Roy Brooks.
The event was held in conjunction withAARP’s national Voices of Civil Rights tour.Maria Reynolds-Diaz, Arkansas StateDirector of AARP and national AARPboard member Jennie Chin Hansenprovided remarks. The purpose of theproject is to gather and preserve storiesfrom individuals about their civil rightsexperiences. A crew from the HistoryChannel is traveling with the bus to helprecord the stories for a future documen-tary. All stories will eventually bepreserved in the Library of Congress. Atthe ceremony, project leader DoriseneHill invited visitors to participate in theproject. Actor Darryl Van Leer was alsoon hand and portrayed ThurgoodMarshall and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.in two dramatic presentations. AARP iscontinuing to collect stories and anyonewho is interested can record them ontheir website atwww.voicesofcivilrights.com.
Central High School studentsrelease origami cranes into thenew reflecting pool.
New reflecting pool under construction.
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It has been an exciting summer atCentral High School NationalHistoric Site! The National ParkService (NPS) and our communitypartners have taken several stepstowards the future of the historic site:
Just before Memorial Day the NPScompleted acquisition of the vacantlot on the northeast corner of DaisyL. Gatson Bates Drive and ParkStreet. NPS staff and contractorshave spent the summer clearing brushand other debris from the property,which formerly was the location ofthe Capitol Wholesale Florists green-house. The 1.3 acre lot will be thefuture home of a larger, permanentvisitor center for the historic site.Construction of the new facility willbegin when Congress appropriatesfunds for the project.
In June the NPS, City of Little Rock,the Little Rock School District, andCentral High Neighborhood, Inc.signed a memorandum of under-standing to encourage long-termprotection of Central High Schooland the surrounding neighborhoods.Under the agreement the partnerswill work together to ensure that thearea’s historically significantresources and characteristics aremaintained and restored for theenjoyment and education of futuregenerations. The partners also willcooperate on other issues to promotethe attractiveness of the Central Higharea as a place to live, work, and play.
On August 6 the City of Little Rockand the National Park Service final-ized a cooperative agreement to helpaccomplish mutual goals in theCentral High School area. The agree-ment will allow the city and the NPSto share resources to promotehistoric preservation, to study issuessuch as parking and pedestrian safety,and to plan ways to commemoratethe 50th anniversary of the desegrega-tion of Central High School (to beobserved in 2007).
FROM THESUPERINTENDENT’S DESK
to protect the properties. However,by including the houses within theboundary, the NPS would have moreflexibility to assist the homeowners inpreserving and restoring the historiccharacter of the buildings. OnlyCongress can authorize the boundarychange; we are hopeful that Congresswill consider the proposal sometimenext year.
If you would like to learn more aboutany of the items discussed in thecolumn, please telephone me at501 -374- 3067 or e-mail me [email protected].
R. Michael Madell, Superintendent
Three of the top ten “American Idols” tooktime out to visit the site the day before theyperformed at North Little Rock’s Altell Arenain August. Park Ranger Spirit Trickey tookthem inside Central High School whereCentral’s principal, Nancy Rousseau, spoketo them inside the lobby about the school.The three, along with a bass player andmanager, enjoyed meeting their “idol,”Minnijean Brown, one of the Little RockNine, back at the visitor center.
From left: Ranger Trickey, bass player Tom, JenniferHudson, Camile Velasco, Minnijean Brown, George Huff,and “Idol” manager, Lee .
American Idols
Calling All Vounteers!Little Rock CentralHigh School NationalHistoric Site is lookingfor volunteers to workat the Visitor Center.Currently, we haveopenings for
volunteers in our bookstore,interpretation (historical research,photography, video), and gardening(Commemorative Garden, VisitorCenter). Our volunteers will be part ofthe team that will assist visitors fromAROUND THE WORLD expected tovisit the site and in November 2004 withthe opening of the Clinton PresidentialLibrary!
If you love visiting America’s NationalParks, here is an opportunity to be partof one! Contact Lea Baker, VolunteerCoordinator, at (501) 374- 3067 for moreinformation. We hope to hear from yousoon!
National Night Out
On August 3rd the staff at Central HighSchool National Historic Site participated inthe neighborhood National Night Out. Theevening consisted of fun filled andeducational activities, including face paintingand jewelry making.
Park Rangers Tarona Bennett and SpiritTrickey gave out information on CentralHigh School National Historic Site. Childrenwere able to conduct Junior Rangeractivities and receive badges and certificates.Materials from other city and state agencieswere also available.
Finally, as the summer comes to an end,NPS staff is preparing a proposal to ex-pand the boundary of the historic site.The proposed expansion would add theseven houses along Park Street (facing the
Park Ranger Tarona Bennett talks to neighborhoodchildren at National Night Out.
school) to the boundary. The housesare very important features of thehistoric landscape. The homes servedas the backdrop for many of theevents that occurred along Park Streetin 1957. Expansion of the boundary,which is recommended in the site’sGeneral Management Plan, is neces-sary for the NPS to better help protectthe homes.
The NPS does not intend to purchasethe houses. We believe that respon -sible, private homeowners can bestprovide the long-term care necessary
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On May 15, 2004 Little Rock CentralHigh School National Historic Sitepartnered with Philander Smith College tocommemorate the 50th anniversary of theBrown v Board of Education of TopekaSupreme Court decision with a paneldiscussion on the ruling’s lastingimplications. The panelists included Dr.Angelo Ancheta, Director of Legal andPolicy Advocacy Programs for the CivilRights Project at Harvard University;Christopher Mercer, an attorney in LittleRock and former field secretary for theNAACP who assisted Daisy and L.C.Bates during the 1957 Crisis; Judge WileyBranton, Jr., whose father worked closelywith Thurgood Marshall on the LittleRock school case; Junious C. Babbs, Jr.,Associate Superintendent for Administra-tive Services for the Little Rock SchoolDistrict; and Rhonda Allen, currently afreshman at UALR in the Donagheyhonor’s program. Dr. Leroy Williamsfrom the Department of History at UALRmoderated the discussion. Approximately Spirit Trickey, Park Ranger
In Pursuit of Equality“.....We are going to save this country’s soul, white or black, whetherthey like it or not. We are going to do it with courage and determi-nation, and without compromise.”
Thurgood Marshall
If you happen to be at the Little RockNational Airport, be sure to check outour exhibit on the landmark Brown v.Board of Education case in theArkansas Gallery. May 17, 2004marked the 50th anniversary for theSupreme Court decision, which ruledthat “separate but equal” educationwas unconstitutional in the UnitedStates. The court’s decision to endsegregation in schools guaranteededucational equality under the law forAfrican-American students across thecountry, including students in LittleRock, Arkansas. With the 1954 Browndecision on their side, the Little RockNine desegregated Central HighSchool in 1957.
A new exhibit that we are currentlydeveloping for the Arkansas Galleryfeatures the National Black PoliticalConvention held in Little Rock in1974. Delegates from across theUnited States gathered in the capitolcity March 15-17 to hear speeches andvote on the party’s platform. DaisyBates, president of the Arkansaschapter of the NAACP during the 1957crisis at Central, and the ReverendJesse Jackson, as well as many others,participated in the convention. TheConvention arose out of the need forAfrican Americans to define theirpolitical voice following the CivilRights era; it also proved to be a testfor the people of Little Rock, whosince 1957 had been nationally knownfor its fight against the desegregationof schools.
Michelle Simpson, Graduate Assistant
The 50th anniversary commemorationraised questions and concerns aboutwhere we need to go from here. Some ofthe suggestions from the panelists were tobe informed, be proactive with you oryour child’s education and exercise yourrights, which were fought so hard for, tovote. Ms. Allen urged young people to “getout of your comfort zone,” at school andbuild relationships with people who aredifferent from you.
To learn more about building diversitycouncils in high schools, contact the LittleRock Racial and Cultural Diversity Com-mission at (501) 224-5483.
75 people attended the event, includinghigh school classes from Central High.The panelists discussed what Brownmeant to them, and shared theirthoughts about its implications for edu-cation today.
Judge Wiley Branton, Jr. speaks while other panelistslook on. From L to R: Dr. Leroy Williams, RhondaAllen, Junious Babbs, Jr., and Dr. Angelo Ancheta.
Arkansas GalleryExhibits at theLittle RockNational Airport
Come Celebrate the Clinton Presidential Library Opening With Us!
In conjunction with the Clinton Presidential Library’s opening, November 15-19, 2004, Little Rock Central High School NationalHistoric Site will host several events. For more information, see www.arkansasglobecoming.com and www.nps.gov/chsc/. Markthe following dates on your calendars:
November 15, 2004 - Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, in partnership with Central Arkansas LibrarySystem, is pleased to welcome Janis F. Kearney as our guest lecturer. Ms. Kearney is the former publisher of the Arkansas StatePress newspaper and served as the personal diarist to former President William Jefferson Clinton. She is currently writing twobooks; Cotton Field of Dreams and Conversations: William Jefferson Clinton ... from Hope to Harlem. In her talk, “Our History AwaitsUs: Creating Our Legacies,” Ms. Kearney will speak about our individual responsibilities to contribute to our legacies, and discussways each of us can make positive effects in our world. The talk will be held Monday, November 15, 2004 at 6:30 p.m. in CentralArkansas Library System’s Darraugh Center for Intellectual Freedom at the downtown library.
November 17, 2004- Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site Park Rangers will conduct a guided “hard hat” tourof Central High School on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at 6:00 p.m., allowing visitors an opportunity to see the school itself, aswell as the work being done to renovate the interior—work paid for, in part, by a $2.5 million Save America’s Treasure’s grant.
All Week! November 15-19, 2004 - The Visitor Center will be open in the evenings during the library’s opening week. We will beopen Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. If you have not been able to visit before because you did not get offof work in time, now is your chance! In addition, a video of the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, in which Congress andPresident Clinton awarded our nation’s highest civilian honor to the Little Rock Nine, will be shown in the visitor center onNovember 15-18th, 2004 at 10:00 a.m., and at 1:00 and 6:00 p.m. All events are free. For more information, please call 501 -374-1957.
After the program, participants gathered aroundthe reflecting pool for the dedication. The pool wasan original feature of the school’s campus, built in1927, but was removed in the 1980s because ofmaintenance problems. The National Park Serviceprovided $50,000.00 to restore the pool, whileCentral High School and parents and alumniprovided additional funds. At the dedication,participants released 48 origami cranes into thewater. The cranes are an international symbol ofpeace and 47 of them represented the years sinceCentral High’s desegregation, while the 48th cranerepresented the future and the hope for worldpeace.
Laura A. Miller, Chief of Interpretation
Reflecting pool under reconstruction,August 23, 2004.
Continued from front page
Gibbs Elementary Students and Central HighSchool Principal Nancy Rousseau (on left)
release origami cranes into the newreflecting pool.
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Darryl Van Leer portraysThurgood Marshall.
Education Corner
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More than 150 Arkansas teachers took part in nine workshops across the state on the 1957 desegregation crisis atLittle Rock Central High School. The goal of the workshops was to introduce teachers to the historic site as aresource for the classroom and to tell the story of 1957 and the Civil Rights Movement in general. Teachersreceived information on Little Rock Central High School, Civil Rights Movement resources (web sites, readinglists), and tips on teaching children how to deal with controversial subjects. Teacher in-service opportunities forthe fall include a day-long workshop at Dawson Education Service Cooperative in Arkadelphia on October 4,2004 and a session on the 1957 desegregation crisis at the Arkansas Conference on Teaching (November 4- 5 ,2004).
In addition to the summer workshops, the historic site has received several grants this summer to conduct programs. The NationalPark Service awarded our site a $1,400 volunteer grant to conduct activities with primary and secondary students during the ClintonLibrary opening in Little Rock on November 18, 2004. This grant will be used to conduct a program at the historic site. TheArkansas Humanities Council awarded a grant of $800 to the historic site to establish a loan box program, “Word from the Bird”(a 1950s slang term for “the truth”) to introduce students to life in 1950s America. All education service cooperatives thatparticipated in this past summer’s workshops will receive a loan box to house at their teacher center!
In addition to receiving grants to conduct programs for students, the historic site is working with 9th grade civics classes and EASTLab students and staff from Little Rock Central High School to create a working civics unit that encompasses the essential questionof how we have handled civil rights in American history. This year- l ong unit is easily intertwined with civics curriculum and includesinterdisciplinary teaching methods, computer skills, and a culminating research project. After testing the program at the high schoolthis coming year, it will be available for teachers throughout the country in the 2005-2006 school year.
Finally, a curriculum using the book, The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles, is available to primary school instructors. Targetingfirst- through fourth-grade students, the lesson focuses on developing empathy in students through reading, writing, and generalcomprehension of how a six- year old showed great courage in integrating the elementary schools of New Orleans, Louisiana. It is astory that all young children can relate to and has been tested previously at Gibbs Magnet for International Studies in Little Rock,Arkansas. The lesson was written by first-grade teachers Carolyn Blome, Abby Tankersley, and Katrina Adams at Gibbs Magnet.E - mail [email protected] or write the historic site for your copy!
Lea Flowers Baker, Education Specialist
For a FREE teacher’s package from the historic site for the 2004- 2005 school year, contact:
Lea Flowers Baker (501) 374- 3067 (phone)700 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 3527 (501) 301-7762 (fax)Little Rock, Arkansas 72201 [email protected]
Thank You!
On September 17 the Board of Directors of Central High Museum, Inc. (CHMI) hosted a fundraiser to benefit Central High SchoolNational Historic Site. The money raised will help the National Park Service create educational and interpretive programs andprotect the historic resources of Central High School and the surrounding neighborhood.
The fundraiser was held at the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, and the guest of honor was University of Arkansas headfootball coach Houston Nutt. Mr. Nutt is a graduate of Central High School and a former star quarterback for the Tigers. Thankyou to the CHMI Board, to everyone who attended the event, and to all who made a contribution. You are appreciated! Specialthanks to the following corporate sponsors:
Baldwin-Shell Construction Diamond Bear Brewing Company
Balfour Printing East Harding
Bird and Bear Medical Entergy
CDI Hickingbotham Investments
City of Little Rock Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
Coca-Cola Bottling Company of AR Metropolitan National Bank
Coleman Dairy Millefleur French Floral Market
Coulson Oil Moses Tucker Real Estate
Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods Turning Leaf Vineyards
Central High School
E X P E R I E N C E Y O U R A M E R I C AThe National Park Service cares for the special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
This newsletter is brought to you bythe staff of Little Rock Central HighSchool National Historic Site.
EditorTarona A. Bennett, Park Ranger
Comments? Write to:SuperintendentLittle Rock Central High SchoolNational Historic Site2125 Daisy L. Gatson Bates DriveLittle Rock, Arkansas 72202
Phone: (501) 374-1957Fax: (501) 376-4728Website: www.nps.gov/chscEmail: [email protected]
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National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior
Little Rock Central High SchoolNational Historic Site2125 Daisy L. Gatson Bates DriveLittle Rock, Arkansas 72202
October 30, 2004Join park rangers for the annual Big Boo!seumBash Saturday night from 5:30-8:00 pm. Citybuses will be available to take trick-or-treatersto participating area museums.
November 2004Clinton Library Week Activities: Nov. 15, Janis Kearney lecture at CALS Nov. 17, Hart Hat tours of Central High (See inside article for details.)
January 17, 2005Join park rangers for a special program onRev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Arkansas.
February 21, 2005Daisy Bates Holiday. Park Rangers will conducta special program on Daisy and L.C. Bates andthe role of the NAACP in the desegregation ofLittle Rock’s schools.
April 2005Celebrate National Park Week with us and learnmore about Little Rock’s own National HistoricSite.
Park Rangers are available to give toursof the visitor center exhibit,commemorative garden and theexterior of Central High School.Off-site visits for classes or groups can be arranged as well. The VisitorCenter features the exhibit, “All theWorld is Watching Us: Little Rock and the 1957 Crisis,” as well as a bookstore with a wide selection of educational materials.
Contact a park ranger for moreinformation on program topics andscheduled events. Reservations arerequired for tours and can be made bycalling the park at (501) 374- 1957.
National Park ServiceU.S. Department of theInterior
Scheduled Programs
First Class MailU.S. Postage PaidWashington, DCPermit No.: G-83