Warriors Don't Cry

March 17, 2022 9:06 AM

Warriors Don't Cry: The Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's Central High by Melba Pattillo Beals: What Melba endured as a high school junior integrating Central High in 1957 can only be described as open warfare on African-Americans. The internal strength she exhibited, to get up and go to school every day, is something I can't even imagine. I didn't enjoy reading about this shameful time in US history, but I'm very glad I read the book. It should be required reading in every high school in America, because we clearly have not evolved past this as a society yet.
posted by COD (1 comment total)

I read this a few years ago at the same time I was teaching my students about Ruby Bridges. Their courage was astounding, and the story is staggering. It was really hard to read. But then again I was teaching in an all-black school at the time so it was also an opportunity to reflect on how our country has and hasn’t changed.
posted by mai at 2:00 PM on March 17, 2022