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 Patillo Beals (born December 7, 1941) is an American journalist and educator. She was a brave member of the Little Rock Nine. This group of nine Black students was the first to attend Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Their actions helped end racial segregation in schools.
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Early Life and Education
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 people to graduate from the University of Arkansas. She worked as an English teacher. Melba's father, Howell Pattillo, worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
High School Challenges
When Melba was attending Horace Mann High School, which was an all-Black school, she noticed something important. She realized that students at the all-white Central High School were getting a better education. Because of this, Melba decided to volunteer to transfer to Central High. Eight other Black students from her area joined her.
Melba was 15 years old when she chose to enroll at Central High School in May 1956. The nine Black students faced angry crowds. The governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, even used the National Guard to stop them from entering the school. To protect the students, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had to send in soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division.
Melba planned to return to Central High for the 1958–1959 school year. However, Governor Faubus closed all Little Rock high schools that tried to resist integration. This led other school districts in the South to do the same. Central High finally reopened with integrated students in 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 age of seventeen, she began writing for major newspapers and magazines.
College Studies
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.
Career 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 another book, White is a State of Mind, which continues her story. 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 the group at Central High. In 1999, Melba and 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 a few 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. She is also a member of the Board of Directors for Arukah Animal International. This group works to end animal suffering.
Personal Life
While in college, Melba met John Beals, and they got married. They had one daughter named Kelli. Later, they 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
