Little Rock Nine Video Questions 1. Describe the significance of the Little Rock Nine in the context of the Civil Rights M 2. How did the Supreme Court ruling on Brown versus the Board of Education influ of the Little Rock Nine?

1. The significance of the Little Rock Nine in the context of the Civil Rights Movement lies in their courageous stand against racial segregation in public schools. The nine African American students, who were the first black students to attend the previously all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, challenged the deeply entrenched system of racial discrimination and inequality in the South. Their actions and the subsequent resistance they faced from segregationists highlighted the ongoing struggle for civil rights and the fight for equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of race.<br /><br />2. The Supreme Court ruling on Brown versus the Board of Education in 1954 had a significant impact on the events surrounding the Little Rock Nine. In this landmark decision, the Supreme Court declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, effectively overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine established in the 1896 Plessy versus Ferguson case. This ruling paved the way for the integration of public schools and set the stage for the Little Rock Nine's historic entry into Central High School. The Supreme Court's decision provided legal justification and moral support for the Little Rock Nine's actions, as it affirmed the principle of equal educational opportunities and the unconstitutionality of segregated schools.