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| Dr. Minnijean Brown Trickey presented the talk, "Social change, diversity and the fight against racism: How far have we come?" (Danny Abriel Photo) |
On her first day of high school, 16-year-old Minnijean Brown thought others would see her as she saw herself鈥攖all, beautiful, proud. She had a sense of humor, a smile to die for, and she could sing: she鈥檇 win over her new classmates within a few weeks.听
But she was wrong.
Fifty-one-year ago, she was one of the 鈥淟ittle Rock Nine,鈥� the first black American students to challenge racial segregation at Little Rock Central High School. As Dr. Minnijean Brown Trickey stood in front of an overflowing audience in AV俱乐部鈥檚 Student Union Building, she was introduced as a legend, a civil rights pioneer, and a true inspiration. She shrugs off the accolades and remains a humble, reluctant hero: 鈥淎ll we wanted to do is go to school.鈥�
As Dr. Brown Trickey told her story, she cried openly in front of the audience. But during her year at Little Rock Central High, she made sure that no one ever saw her cry.听 She and her fellow black students used humor as a survival tool, repressing all of their pain and fear. But today she can cry. She thinks it鈥檚 a good thing.听 In fact, she cried for most of the day when Barack Obama was elected as next president of the United States.
Much of Dr. Brown Trickey鈥檚 words referenced that historic win. She is overjoyed to see a change in consciousness happening across the country鈥攕imilar to what happened in Little Rock more than half a century ago.听
As a TV camera recorded Dr. Brown Trickey鈥檚 words, she spoke of the media attention during her first day at Little Rock Central High.听 As she entered the school, she was met by 1,200 armed soldiers and television crews and reporters from across the country.听 Despite the notoriety, her first year of school was all about surviving鈥攕urviving daily tormenting from her peers, indifference from her teachers, and violence on a daily basis. She was kicked down stairs, knocked unconscious and spat on.
When asked if the other students and teachers at Little Rock Central High intervened, Dr. Trickey told a story that has been repeated throughout history too many times: 鈥淭he children who were nice to use were beaten up and terrorized.听 And their parents lost their jobs.鈥澨�
鈥淭here were 100 bad kids and 1,900 silent witnesses,鈥� she added.听
Over the years, Dr. Brown Trickey has tried to understand why history unfolded as it did.听 She tried to understand why her fellow students were so mean and violent towards her.听 The answer was expressed simply by one of her classmates: 鈥淲e hated her because she walked up and down the halls like she belonged here.鈥�
Today, Dr. Brown Trickey draws inspiration from the school children she meets while traveling and speaking.听 They inspire her by saying 鈥淚 would have been nice to you.听 I would have talked to you.鈥澨�
She regularly returns to Little Rock and returns to her old high school, which she says remains segregated. 鈥淭here are white and black students at the school but they are having very different experiences. The white students are in accelerated programs which are directed towards college and higher learning. The black students are viewed as under achievers and many will not even graduate.鈥�
Dr. Brown Trickey鈥檚 words were motivating, inspirational and pivotal at this moment in American history.听 鈥淗istory holds up a mirror showing the good things about us and the bad things about us. We have to choose. Do we want to be part of the mob attacking children or the children walking with dignity?鈥�
Dr. Brown Trickey鈥檚 appearance was organized by the AV俱乐部 School of Social Work. She has vowed to return to Halifax again in the summer to see old and new friends.
Soul Make A Path Through Shouting
Little Rock, Arkansas, 1957 By Cyrus Cassells Thick at the schoolgate are the ones I鈥檓 just going to school. Here we go to meet Can my voice be an angel-on-the-spot, I have never seen the likes of you, With their jerry-rigged faith, I鈥檓 just going to school. |
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