About

The struggle for equal education in Boston began in the late 1780s and continued through the 1970s when turbulent protests engulfed the city. Historic sites that now comprise the National Parks of Boston served as the setting for several of the movement's most contentious moments.

Education is important for understanding the goals of the Port Royal Experiment, both for the missionaries who established them and for the formerly enslaved people enrolling as students.

In 1957, Little Rock’s Philander Smith College, an historically black college, opened its doors to the “Little Rock Nine” to help them prepare for their first days as students at Central High School. Barred from entering the all-white high school by order of the governor, the students struggled to keep from falling behind in their coursework, aided by Philander Smith College faculty members.

The school desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High School put on trial America’s commitment to its founding principles. It was the first significant test of the 1954 Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” The successful outcome affirmed the basis of that ruling—the 14th Amendment’s promise of “equal protection of the laws.”

The Daisy and L.C. Bates Home is nationally significant for its role as the de facto command post during the Central High School desegregation crisis in Little Rock, Arkansas.

When it was built in 1929, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Little Rock was the most modern and complete high school constructed for African Americans in the state. It became known as "The Finest High School for Negro Boys and Girls in Arkansas."

The Elizabeth Eckford Bus Bench, located on the northeast corner of S. Park Street and 16th Street, is a replica from the 1957 desegregation crisis and a place for contemplative reflection.

The Commemorative Garden, adjacent to both the visitor center on South Park Street and the north side of Little Rock Central High School, documents a photographic history, inlaid on brick and concrete arches, as a reminder of the bravery of the Little Rock Nine and a legacy of Central High School. Within this space are nine benches and nine trees to provide seating and shade for a visitor to sit and reflect in this tranquil landscape.

In 1957, nine ordinary teenagers walked out of their homes and stepped up to the front lines in the battle for civil rights for all Americans. The media coined the name “Little Rock Nine" to identify the first African American students to desegregate Little Rock Central High School.

Little Rock Central High School, a functioning 9th - 12th grade facility, is a combined Collegiate Gothic and Art Deco style building that covers much of two city blocks and contains over 150,000 square feet. The school is closed to the public.