Little Rock Central High School facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little Rock Central High School |
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Front entrance to Little Rock Central High School
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1500 Little Rock Nine Way
72202-5843
United States
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| Information | |
| School type | Comprehensive public high school |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Status | Open |
| School district | Little Rock School District |
| NCES District ID | 0509000 |
| Superintendent | Dr. Jermall D. Wright |
| CEEB code | 041422 |
| NCES School ID | 050900000607 |
| Principal | Nancy Rousseau (since 2002) |
| Teaching staff | 161.18 (on FTE basis) |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Enrollment | 2,260 (2023–2024) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 14.02 |
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| Classes offered | Regular, Career Focus, Advanced Placement |
| Hours in school day | 7.25 |
| Campus size | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Color(s) | Black and Old gold |
| Fight song | On, Tigers! (based on On, Wisconsin!) |
| Athletics conference | 7A/6A East (2012–14) |
| Team name | Tigers |
| Rival | Little Rock Hall, Little Rock Catholic |
| Accreditation | ADE AdvancED (1924–) |
| Publication | The Labyrinth |
| Newspaper | The Tiger |
| Yearbook | The Pix |
| Communities served | Little Rock |
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Little Rock Central High School
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Arkansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Area | 17.95 acres (7.26 ha) |
| Architect | Parks Almand, John |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Visitation | 44,293 (2005) |
| Website | Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site |
| Part of | Central High School Neighborhood Historic District (ID96000892) |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000268 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | August 19, 1977 |
| Designated NHL | May 20, 1982 |
| Designated CP | August 16, 1996 |
| Designated NHS | November 6, 1998 (#01000274) |
Little Rock Central High School (often called LRCH or just Central) is a public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. It is known for its important role in American history. In 1957, the school became the center of the Little Rock Crisis. This happened after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that separating students by race in public schools was against the law. This event was a big part of the civil rights movement.
Central High is located where Little Rock Nine Way and Daisy L. Gatson Bates Drive meet. Daisy Bates was an African-American journalist and a leader of the NAACP. She helped make the school's integration happen in 1957.
The school's history goes back to 1869 with the Sherman School. Later, it became the Scott Street School and then City High School. In 1890, the Peabody School was built. In 1905, the city opened Little Rock High School, which became the only public high school in the city. Until 1957, only white students could attend.
In 1927, a new, very large and expensive high school building was finished. It cost $1.5 million and is still used today. In 1953, after Hall High School was built, the school was renamed Little Rock Central High School. It is now a historic site and a National Historic Landmark.
Central High School teaches students from 9th to 12th grade. In the 2020–2021 school year, it had 2,476 students. It is part of the Little Rock School District. Nancy Rousseau has been the principal since 2002.
Contents
School History and Important Events
Building Central High School
The main building of Little Rock Senior High School was built in 1927. It cost $1.5 million and was designed in the Gothic Revival style. People called it the most expensive, beautiful, and largest high school in the country. Almost 20,000 people came to its opening ceremony. In 1953, it was renamed Little Rock Central High School.
At that time, schools in Arkansas and other Southern states were legally separated by race. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court made a ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. This ruling said that separating students by race in public schools was unconstitutional. It encouraged states to integrate their schools.
The Little Rock Integration Crisis
Little Rock Central High School was at the center of the Little Rock Integration Crisis in 1957. Nine Black students, known as the Little Rock Nine, tried to enter the school. But they were stopped, even though the 1954 Supreme Court ruling ordered schools to integrate. This led to a big disagreement between Arkansas's Governor Orval Faubus and U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. The whole world watched this event.
On September 23, 1957, the nine Black students faced a large, angry crowd of over 1,000 white people. These people were protesting the school's integration. The police tried to escort the students inside, but the situation became violent. The students had to be removed from the school.
The next day, President Eisenhower sent 1,200 soldiers from the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division to help. These soldiers escorted the nine students into the school. Eisenhower also took control of the 10,000-member Arkansas National Guard. This prevented Governor Faubus from using them to stop integration. Soldiers stayed at the school for the rest of that school year. One of the nine students, Melba Pattillo Beals, wrote in her diary that integration was "a much bigger word than I thought."
This event was a major test for the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision. Many areas in the South wanted to resist this ruling. The crisis at Central High School showed how determined the nation was to enforce civil rights for Black people.
In 1958, a federal judge temporarily stopped the integration order. The school board said it faced high costs and could not afford security guards.
Little Rock Central High School was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1982. The school is still used for education today.
In 2007, Central High School celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Little Rock Nine entering the school. A new museum honoring the Little Rock Nine opened on September 24, 2007. That same year, HBO made a documentary called Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later. It looked at how the school had changed since integration.
Teaching Evolution in Schools
Little Rock Central High School also made legal history in 1968. This was about the teaching of evolution in public schools. Susan Epperson, a biology teacher at LRCHS, challenged an Arkansas law. This law said that schools could not teach the theory of evolution by natural selection.
The United States Supreme Court ruled in Epperson v. Arkansas that states could not forbid the teaching of evolution for religious reasons. This meant that schools could not make their lessons fit the rules of any religious group.
Central High Today
Today, most students at Central High School are from minority groups. In 2021, 67.7% of students were minorities. The student body was 52.7% Black, 32.3% White, 8.1% Asian, 5.5% Hispanic, and 0.9% two or more races.
Academics and Programs
Central High School follows the Smart Core curriculum from the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).
The school offers many special programs. These include an International Studies Magnet Program and an EAST Initiative Lab Program. Students can join over 30 clubs for service, academics, and honors. The school also has award-winning band and choir programs. Central offers more than 141 courses, including 35 AP and Pre-AP courses. Students can also learn five different foreign languages.
Student Publications
Central High students create several publications. These include The Tiger (the student newspaper), The Pix (the school yearbook), and The Labyrinth (the school poetry and arts magazine).
The Pix yearbook was added to the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association's Arkansas Yearbook Hall of Fame in 2010. The 2010–11 edition of The Pix also won a Silver Medal from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.
The Tiger is the official newspaper of Little Rock Central High School. It is one of the oldest high school newspapers in the country. It comes out as a mini-magazine four times a year. The newspaper has won many awards from the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association.
Awards and Recognition
Central High has been fully accredited by AdvancED since 1924. It has the oldest charter west of the Mississippi River in the Cum Laude Society.
Central High has had many National Merit and National Achievement finalists. In the 2006–07 school year, students received over $4 million in scholarships. The school has had five Presidential Scholars in the last ten years. In 2020–21, 256 students were named AP Scholars. Central also does very well at regional and state Science Fairs.
The school's Drama and Competitive Speech program is very strong. It was one of the first chapters of the Arkansas district of the National Forensic League (a speech and debate honor society).
The school's choir programs have won several "Best in Class" awards at the Arkansas State Choral Festival. The Little Rock Central Madrigals won Class 7A Best in Class for Mixed Ensemble and Overall Ensemble in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013.
Since 2007, The Washington Post has ranked Central among the top 275 high schools nationally. In 2010, Newsweek magazine ranked Little Rock Central High School 94th in the nation.
Little Rock Central High School won the National Fed Challenge competition in 2007 and again in 2008. In 2008, Central was the Quiz bowl division 7A state champion.
The Little Rock Central Band and Flag Line were chosen to march in the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Parade for Barack Obama.
Extracurricular Activities
The mascot for Little Rock Central High School's academic and athletic teams is the Tiger. The school colors are black and old gold. The school's fight song, "On, Tigers!" is based on "On, Wisconsin!."
Athletics
The Little Rock Tigers compete in many sports activities. They are in the state's largest classification (7A) in the 7A/6A East Conference. This is managed by the Arkansas Activities Association. The Tigers play baseball, basketball, bowling, cheer, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling.
Little Rock Central has won many team and individual state titles and set records:
- Football: They have won 32 state championships from 1907 to 2004. This includes the state's all-time win record. Home football games are played at Quigley-Cox Stadium. The Tigers won the 1946 and 1957 High School Football National Championship.
- Cross Country: The boys' team won 22 state championships from 1955 to 1982.
- Track and Field: They hold a national record with 50 track & field state championships (1908–1979). This includes an 18-year winning streak from 1926 to 1945, and another 10-year streak from 1949 to 1958.
- Basketball: The boys' basketball teams have won 20 state titles between 1912 and 2024.
- Golf: The boys' golf team has won eight state titles between 1948 and 1982.
- Soccer: The girls' soccer team won state titles in 2002 and 2003.
- Swimming: The girls' swimming and diving team has won eight state titles since 1952. The boys' team has won three state titles since 2018.
- Tennis: The boys' team has won thirteen titles, and the girls' team has won seven.
Feeder Schools
Elementary Schools
Many elementary schools send students to Little Rock Central. These include:
- Booker
- Brady
- Carver
- Forest Park
- Fulbright
- Gibbs
- Jefferson
- King
- McDermott
- Pulaski Heights
- Rockefeller
- Romine
- Stephens
- Terry
- Washington
- Woodruff
Middle Schools
Middle schools that feed into Central include:
- Cloverdale Magnet Middle School
- Dunbar Magnet Middle School
- Forest Heights Middle School
- Henderson Health Sciences Magnet Middle School
- Pulaski Heights Middle School
- Mann Arts and Science Magnet Middle School
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
On November 6, 1998, Congress created the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. This site is managed with the National Park Service, Little Rock Public Schools, and the City of Little Rock.
The visitor center for the site is across the street from the school. It opened in the fall of 2006. Inside, you can watch a film about the Little Rock integration crisis. There are also exhibits about desegregation and the Civil Rights Movement.
Next to the visitor center is the Central High Commemorative Garden. It has nine trees and benches that honor the Little Rock Nine students. Arches that look like the school's front entrance show photos of the school from different years. These photos show students from all backgrounds doing activities together.
Across from the visitor center is a historic Mobil gas station. It has been kept looking like it did during the crisis. At that time, it was a place where reporters gathered. Later, it was a temporary visitor center.
Images for kids
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The Reflecting Pool was restored during the 2004–05 school year.
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Detail of Front Entrance
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Entrance Hall
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Visitor Center. Main building
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U.S. Secretary of Education John King Jr. at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in 2016
Notable Alumni
Many notable people have attended Little Rock High School or Little Rock Central High School.
Academia, Public Service, and Politics
- Little Rock Nine (1958–60)—Eight of the nine students from the 1957 Little Rock integration crisis.
- Melba Pattillo Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine members
- Charles J. Blake (c. 2001)—A Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
- Vivion Brewer (1917)—A political activist who helped open schools.
- Brownie Ledbetter (1950)—A political activist who worked to reopen Little Rock Central High School.
- Calvin Ledbetter, Jr. (1946)—An educator and politician.
- Sarah Huckabee Sanders (ca. 2000)—Former White House Press Secretary and current Governor of Arkansas.
- Clarke Tucker (1999)—A Democratic member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
- Darrin Williams—A member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
- Woodrow Wilson Mann (ca. 1935)—Mayor of Little Rock (1955–57).
- Mark Pryor—A U.S. Senator for Arkansas.
Arts and Entertainment
- Julie Adams (1944)—Actress.
- Matt Besser (1985)—Actor and comedian.
- Dee Brown (ca. 1926)—Novelist and historian.
- Rodger Bumpass (1970)—Voice actor.
- Gail Davis (ca. 1943)—TV and film actress, known for her role as Annie Oakley.
- Dani Evans—Fashion model; winner of Next Top Model.
- Brent Jennings (1969)—TV and film actor.
- Charlotte Moorman (1951)—Cellist and performance artist.
- George Newbern (1982)—TV and film actor.
- Walter Norris (1950)—Pianist and composer.
- Ben Piazza (1951)—TV and film actor.
- Jason White (1992)—Musician; Green Day Guitarist.
- Clifton Williams (1941)—Composer of symphonic band music.
- Jeff Nichols (1996)—Director, writer, and producer of Loving and Mud.
- Ben Nichols (1992)—Musician, songwriter, and lead singer of the band Lucero.
- Kari Faux (2008)—Hip-hop and rap musician.
Commerce and Industry
- James Smith McDonnell (1917)—Aviation pioneer and founder of McDonnell Aircraft Corporation.
- Sanford N. McDonnell (1940)—Engineer, businessman, and philanthropist.
Military
- Henry C. Bruton (1921)—Highly decorated Rear admiral.
- John H. Yancey (ca.1937)—Highly decorated United States Marine.
Sports
- Mike Beard (1968)—Former professional baseball player.
- Alvin Bell (1919)—Umpire and athlete.
- Charles Clay (2006)—NFL player for the Buffalo Bills.
- Walt Coleman (1970)—Football player (NFL).
- John Hoffman (1945)—NFL player.
- Joe Johnson (1999)—NBA All-Star and USA basketball player.
- Ken Kavanaugh (1936)—College Football Hall of Fame player and coach.
- Luis Peña (fighter) (2012)—Mixed Martial Artist who competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
- Danny Nutt (1980)—Former assistant coach of college football.
- Dennis Nutt (1981)—College basketball head coach and former professional player.
- Dickey Nutt (1977)—College basketball head coach.
- Houston Nutt (1976)—Former head coach of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the University of Mississippi Rebels football teams.
- Jack Robbins (1933)—Football and basketball player, NFL player.
- Brooks Robinson (1955)—Hall of Fame third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles.
- Drew Smyly (2007)—Baseball player.
- Reggie Swinton (1993)—Former football player.
- Harry Vines (1957)—Wheelchair basketball coach.
- Fred Williams (ca. 1947)—Four-time NFL Pro Bowl defense lineman.
- Kahlil Carter (1994)—Former professional football player.
