Attending Melba Beals Event Essay -- Civil Rights Little Rock Nine

I attended an issuing commemorating a very heroic womans actions. Civil rights activist Melba Beals, author of Warriors Dont Cry, was one of the Little Rock Nine who helped to integrate an totally-white Arkansas public high school in 1957. However, this was not a very easy task. She attended school amidst constant harassment, violence, and threats. Her efforts helped shape the well-mannered rights movement and earned her Americas top civilian honor, the congressional Gold Medal. I found her to be very inspiring, witty, and brave. The showcase allowed us to hear her perspective on growing up at much(prenominal) a volatile time, and to learn about her unique and rich past. This gist was held in the Illini Union, a building on the University of Illinois campus where students and faculty work, study, and relax. Very lots events such as this one are held to add a various flavor and special treat to the already enriching university. This presentation was held in the ballroom on the second floor. This room is a beautifully decorated monolithic hall where many various events take place from dances to speeches. The fact that the event was held in this room shows the importance of Melba and the seating needed to accommodate such a large-scale event. The event was passing crowded, and many different nationalities and cultures were stand for, which was kind of surprising to me. I would reserve imagined only finding African-Americans and whites at an event like this, but to my surprise almost every culture was represented in the audience. Through careful observation I noticed that the part of the audience was mainly female, college and middle aged. I did notice that there were many families that came together, which was very nice... .... It made me proud of them and for them. From attending this lecture I absorb a greater sense of appreciation for all the women of color who have made a difference, because now I know how many ob stacles they had to pass over to achieve their goal. After seeing her deal I felt extremely enriched and honored to have had the chance to hear someone like her speak in front of me. I felt a sense of presumption for her. It was an odd moment. I felt like I was directly machine-accessible to her as well as to everything that she was saying. I could feel her pain, sorrow, triumph, and happiness all at once. It is not everyday that someone attempts to de-segregate their high school at a time when African-American people had no right to do something like this whatsoever. I am very much looking frontwards to reading her book now. I am very interested in finding more out about her life.