Melba Pattillo Beals facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Melba Pattillo Beals
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Melba Joy Patillo
December 7, 1941 Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S.
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| Education | San Francisco State University (BA) Columbia University (MA) University of San Francisco (EdD) |
Melba Joy Pattillo Beals (born December 7, 1941) is an American journalist and teacher. She is famous for being a member of the Little Rock Nine. This was a group of nine African American students who were the first to attend Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This event was a big step in ending racial segregation in schools.
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Growing Up and Learning
Melba Beals was born on December 7, 1941. Her family believed that education was very important. Her mother, Lois Marie Pattillo, was one of the first Black students to graduate from the University of Arkansas in 1954. She worked as an English teacher. Her father, Howell Pattillo, worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Melba's brother, Conrad S. Pattillo, later served as a U.S. Marshal.
High School Challenges
When Melba was attending Horace Mann High School, which was an all-Black school, she realized that the education there was not as good as at Central High School, an all-White school. Because of this, Melba volunteered to transfer to Central High. Eight other Black students from her school and another junior high school also volunteered.
Melba Beals was 15 years old when she decided to enroll at Central High School in May 1956. The nine Black students faced angry crowds who tried to stop them from entering the school. The governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, even used the National Guard to block their entry. Because of this, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had to send in soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division to protect the students and make sure they could go to school safely.
Melba planned to return to Central High for the 1958–1959 school year. However, Governor Faubus closed all high schools in Little Rock that tried to integrate. Other school districts in the South followed this example. Central High School did not reopen as an integrated school until August 1959.
With help from the NAACP, Melba moved to Santa Rosa, California. She finished her last year of high school at Montgomery High School. She lived with foster parents, Dr. George and Carol McCabe. By the time she was seventeen, she had started writing for major newspapers and magazines.
College Education
Melba Beals attended San Francisco State University and earned a bachelor's degree. She later earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University. On May 22, 2009, she received her doctoral degree in education from the University of San Francisco. This special day was USF's 150th graduation ceremony.
Her Work and Achievements
Melba Beals wrote a book called Warriors Don't Cry. This book tells the story of what happened in 1957 during the Little Rock crisis. It is based on diaries she kept during that time. She also wrote White is a State of Mind, which continues her story from where Warriors ended. Warriors Don't Cry is still a very popular book about prejudice for teens and young adults.
In 1959, the NAACP gave the Spingarn Medal to Melba and the other members of the Little Rock Nine. They also honored civil rights leader Daisy Bates, who helped guide the group. In 1999, Melba and the rest of the Little Rock Nine received the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest honors a civilian can receive in the United States. Only about three hundred people have ever received it.
Melba taught journalism at Dominican University of California. She was also the chair emeritus of the communications department there.
Personal Life
While in college, Melba met John Beals, and they later married. They had one daughter named Kelli. They later divorced. Around 1992, Melba adopted twin sons, Matthew and Evan. Today, Melba Beals lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
See also
In Spanish: Melba Pattillo Beals para niños
