By David Margolick
60 years ago, Little Rock's Central High School was integrated by court order. Nine black students selected for their good scholastic records would be the first to attend the school. They would enter the school as a group, for moral support, but Elizabeth Eckford never got the message. Instead, she bravely walked alone toward the school entrance in a new outfit her mother had sewed. As she made her way along the sidewalk, she was jeered by racists and hecklers and - while she retained her dignity - she was afraid to actually enter the school alone when the 2000 national guardsmen standing by did nothing to stop the demonstrators. The hecklers' attitude is famously illustrated by the menacing look of Hazel Bryan in Will Counts' iconic photo. Despite continued heckling and aggression, the nine black students graduate from high school and move away from Little Rock. Only Elizabeth, despite earning a college degree and serving in the army, has returned to the city that was the site of so much pain - and there she remains. Hazel, on the other hand, did not finish high school, instead choosing to marry and raise a family.
Having never intended to become a symbol of hate, Hazel later tracks down Elizabeth and calls her to apologize; Elizabeth accepts her apology. Time goes on, with Elizabeth back in her childhood house, living off (mental) disability payments and bearing two sons, while Hazel raises her family, gets involved with volunteering, becoming especially close to a black unwed mother whom she is helping. Elizabeth and Hazel, now in their 50's, are brought face to face for the first time to mark the 35th anniversary of LRCHS integration. Hazel follows up the meeting by inviting Elizabeth to a public garden. More speaking engagements follow, and more social gatherings. A friendship is born, and Elizabeth feels confident enough to accept her first job in 20 years. The black community criticizes Elizabeth for accepting Hazel's apology, and Elizabeth becomes convinced it's a sham apology and starts to rebuff Hazel. After many refusals, Hazel (who is already tired of the constant cruel remarks she still receives as a result of the photo) gives up on the relationship. Both women have left the door open - but as of the book's publication (2012), they had not spoken in years. :(
This story is, by turns, tragic - hopeful - sad. This first step at integration (hard to believe that southern schools were actually separated along racial lines in MY lifetime) was painful, and those first nine students were courageous but some paid a price for being the first brave souls to enter a school where, while qualified, they were not welcome. Let us pray that our country will overcome divisions of race - so arbitrary and so meaningless.
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