Questions for Warriors Don't Cry

In 1954, the US Supreme Court handed down its decision in the landmark case, Brown v. Board of Education. By a 9-0 decision, the court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which you might recall had approved racial segregation. In his decision, Chief Justice Earl Warren argued in Brown that segregation, even if the separate facilities were equal, was inherently unequal and thereby violated the US Constitution. One year later, the Warren court followed with Brown II, which stated that schools must desegregate with "all deliberate speed."

The Supreme Court's decision met widespread dissaproval from Southern white conservatives. In addition, some state government actively defied the federal courts and used their powers actively to block implementation of the decision. For example, in Little Rock, Arkansas, activists pushed to integrate the local high school. Nine black students were chosen to attend the all-white Central High and begin that process of desegregation that the Supreme Court had called for three years earlier. Those students faced angry mobs and a state governor who was determined to thwart Brown v. Board of Education in his state.

Warriors Don't Cry is memoir written by one of the Little Rock Nine. As you read the book, consider the questions below. You do not need to submit written responses to these questions. They are merely intended to focus your attention as your read the book, prepare you for discussion of the book in class, and help you prepare for the in-class writing assignment on April 13. That essay topic will be derived from the questions below.

• Why is Little Rock's Central High being integrated? Why is it being done by just nine students? How were they chosen?
• What is the reaction in the black community to this attempt at integration? What is the reaction in the white community? To what degree are the communities divided among themselves?
• Beals writes, "The effort to separate ourselves whether by race, creed, color, religion, or status is as costly to the separator as to those who would be separated." What might she mean by this? Do you agree with her? Do you think other blacks would agree with this? Explain.
• Focus on the emotional experience of Melba's attempt to integrate Central. What sorts of weapons, physical and psychological, does the opposition use? What weapons does Melba use? How does she cope with her wounds?
• Who are the following individuals and to what degree and in what ways do they provide social support for Melba: Grandma India, Lois Patillo, Danny, Link, Minnijean Brown, and Daisy Bates?
• Danny and Link are both white males. How committed do you think they were to helping Melba? Over the course of 1957, the Pattillo family became particularly suspicious of Link. Why? Do you think him heroic for helping Melba or do you think him cowardly for not doing more?
• In what ways is Melba a warrior? In what ways isn't she? How does she feel about her role in the "war" and what she's called upon to do? If it is a war, who won?
• What did the attempt to integrate Central cost Melba personally? Was it worth it? Do you think she would say it was worth it?