Warriors Don't Cry Quiz

Plessy v Ferguson

1896 Supreme Court case. public facilities were segregated by race (example schools bathrooms water fountains) "separate but equal"

9. The black students who attend Central High were carefully chosen from dozens of applicants. What qualities do you think school officials looked for when deciding on which students to choose?

All of the students in the Little Rock Nine were all intelligent, religious and hard-working students, and some were also good athletes. The school officials looked for students who certainly were smart, athletic and hard-working in school. Melba describes the Little Rock Nine by saying, "most of all, we were individualists with strong opinions. Each of us planned to go to college." (page 27) The school officials looked for the kinds of people who are ambitious and ready to take on the challenge, and that is what the Little Rock Nine had. They didn't want people who would stir up trouble.

Daisy Bates

Arkansas state president of the NAACP. She and her husband own to the Arkansas State press

2. What does Melba know about segregation by the time she has reached age five? Age eight? Use examples from the text of the experiences she had at those ages.

At age five, at the Fourth of July picnic, Melba saved up money to go on a merry-go-round. However, when she goes to the concession stand, already anticipating what horse she would ride, the concessionaire tells her that there was no space for her. On page 4, she describes it by saying, "angry faces glared at me as though I'd done something terribly wrong...I learned that there was to be no space for me on that merry-go-round no matter how many saddles stood empty." She learns that there is no place for her. At age eight, Melba's family gets overcharged by twenty dollars-more than a day's pay-by the white grocer at the store. She sees that the black people in her life can't protect her from the white people and their rules.

Melba Patillo Beals

Author; this is her autobiography One of the little rock nine

Mrs. Huckaby

Central highs vice principal for girls

Describe how two different teachers treat Melba and the Nine. Describe how administrators act towards Melba and the Nine. What were your thoughts when you were reading?

During Melba's first class, Melba's teacher ignores the other students who yell and call her names. This means that she is against integration. Melba says, "Again, I waited for the teacher to speak up, but she said nothing. Some of the students snickered. The boy took his seat, but he kept shouting ugly words at me throughout the rest of class. My heart was weeping, but I squeezed back the tears." (page 75) Mrs. Pickwick treats Melba completely different. As soon as Melba walked into the shorthand class, she greets her and says, "Hello, honey, welcome." (page 78) When students started to move away from her, and started insulting her, Mrs. Pickwick says, "If you move, you move to the office and see the principal." (page 78) She also warns Melba to not look out the window, and overall treats her very nice compared to other teachers. The principal walks away from the kids while being introduced, and Mrs. Huckaby simply helps the kids with what they need and then send them off. She isn't mean nor nice. While reading, I was frustrated and angry with the teachers who ignored Melba and encouraged the kids to shout at her. I couldn't believe that a teacher could make a child - their student - feel so unwelcome and so terrible. The way the principal had walked away and the way Melba's first teacher simply didn't talk really aggravated me. However, Mrs. Pickwick was my favorite teacher. The way she welcomed Melba and told the class to not move away or insult Melba really helped Melba feel less scared and I wish all teachers could be as nice as her.

Describe what happens to Elizabeth Eckford on that first day of school at Central High.

Elizabeth was the main focus of the angry mob, because she didn't get the phone call at midnight to meet at the meeting spot. She stood all alone while crowds of white people yelled at her. Melba describes her scenario like this: "Elizabeth cradled her books in her arms as she desperately searched for the right place to enter. Soldiers in uniforms and helmets, cradling their rifles, towered over her...As Elizabeth walked along the line of guardsmen, they did nothing to protect her from her stalkers...Elizabeth stood still, stunned, not knowing what to do." (page 36-37) She continued to get yelled harsh names and was threatened to be hanged. "Under siege, Elizabeth slowly made her way toward the bench at the bus stop. Looking straight ahead as she walked, she did not acknowledge the people yelping at her at her heels, like mad dogs." (page 37) Luckily she survived the mob and sat with a white couple on the bus who treated her nicely.

Orval Faubus

Governor of Arkansas

Melba's grandmother likens Melba to a "warrior on the battlefield for your Lord." What does she mean by this?

Grandma India tells Melba that she is a warrior who is fighting for her rights. She says, "You'll make this your last cry...God's warriors don't cry, 'cause they trust that he's always by their side." (page 44) She basically means that she is fighting with God for her rights and that she shouldn't cry because God is always with her. Melba is a fighter with God by her side. In God's eyes, all people are equal. Therefore she is a soldier to make sure all people are treated equally.

Do you agree with the advice Melba's grandmother gives her? When is crying a sign of weakness? Strength? Is this different for men then it is for women?

I agree with Melba's grandmother's advice because it is very motivational and shows Melba that one setback isn't the end of the world. The way Grandma India phrased her words was also well done. Crying is a sign of weakness when you are not achieving your goals. In other words, it is only a weakness when there is no reason for it. Other than that, I believe crying is a sign of strength, as you are washing away your old views on the world and being able to see the world clearer. It is powerful in the way of being able to express our emotions and it makes us human. It is different for men than women, even though it really shouldn't be. Men deal with the stereotype of being strong, "macho" and society makes it seem that men don't cry, and that women cry more. I firmly believe that we are all human and gender (AND race!) shouldn't define us, and that we have the right to cry. We must get through the lowest points in life in order to climb to the highest.

Jefferson Thomas

Little Rock nine, soft-spoken athlete, good sense of humor

Carlotta Walls

Little rock nine, athlete, energetic

Terrence Roberts

Little rock nine, friend since first grade, funny and intelligent

Thelma Mothershed

Little rock nine, has a heart problem

Minnijean Brown

Little rock nine, lives only a block away from Melba, lots in common with her

Gloria Ray

Little rock nine, member of Sunday school

Ernest Greene

Little rock nine, oldest and senior, member of Melba's church

Elizabeth Eckford

Little rock nine, quiet, private person, serious about studies

Brown v Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas

May 17, 1954. Supreme Court ruled that separate public schools for whites and blacks for illegal. Because of that schools were ordered to integrate

7. What prompts Melba to raise her hand when a teacher asks who would like to attend Central High? Why do you think she doesn't tell her family that she has volunteered? What does she fear?

Melba decides to raise her hand because she believes that she will get the same rights. She states, "as I signed my name on the paper they passed around, I thought about all those times I'd gone past Central High, wanting to see inside. I was certain it would take a miracle to integrate Little Rock's schools. But I reasoned that if schools were open to my people, I would also get access to other opportunities I had been denied, like going to shows at Robinson Auditorium, or sitting on the first floor of the movie theater." (page 19) She doesn't tell anybody she doesn't want anyone to get mad. She fears her family's safety and opinions.

6. What is the lesson Melba learns from her trip to Cincinnati?

Melba learns that there are nice white people, as she was treated very nicely so much so that she wanted to stay in Cincinnati up until high school. She learns that people were treated equally. She states: "they treated me like I was an equal, like I belonged with them....no one even looked at me with evil eyes or called me a name!" (page 21) Being treated so well was paradise for her. She had a meal with white people, white waiters smiled and asked if she wanted anything, she was able to order food at the concession food next to a white person, went to the restroom and white people smiled at her, could go to department stores and go to a diner.

1. Melba writes, "Black folks aren't born expecting segregation...Instead the humiliating expectations and traditions of segregation creep over you slowly stealing a teaspoonful of your self-esteem each day." How does Melba learn those expectations and traditions

Melba learns these expectations and traditions slowly and through experiences and daily interactions she goes through. Just like she states, "nobody presents you with a handbook when you're teething and says, 'Here's how you must behave as a second-class citizen.'" (page 3) She instead learns her place in society as a kid, gradually learning the realities by experiences. She sees the way her parents act (for example, when her strong dad kowtowed at the grocery store).

What qualities does Melba attribute to Thurgood Marshall? Which of these does she most admire? Why?

Melba states: "as I listened to Mr. Marshall speak, I felt much better. His positive attitude gave me hope that even if I couldn't speak my truth, the scales of justice were weighted on our side. I had read that he had faced up to other Southern segregationists and forced them to let my people run for public office. He had also fought for equal rights for women. I felt honored that he would take the time and energy to fight for our rights." (page 56) Melba admires Thurgood Marshall's persistence and how he fights for people's rights with a positive attitude. This is because he is basically a role model for her; he is inspirational in the way that he has the courage to fight for what he believes in.

4. In 1954, when Melba is just thirteen, a white man tries to rape her. Describe how each of the adults in Melba's family respond to this incident.

Melba was sent home early from school due to the Brown vs Board of Education. A white man tries to rape her while Melba walks home from school because of the new rule and Marissa saves her. As soon as Melba's family hears about the incident, Grandma India immediately told Melba to get into the bathtub to wash away the evil of the man. She sends away Conrad as soon as she sees Melba. She also tells her, "we'll burn the clothes you took off. I got fresh clothing on a stool, just outside the door." (page 18) Melba was shocked that her Grandma has said that because Grandma India's saying was "waste not, want not", and she never burned her clothes. Her father cried for the first time in front of Melba because he knew he could not protect his daughter even though he was supposed to. Grandma India also makes Melba pray for 21 days to get rid of the shame.

3. How do those "humiliating expectations and traditions" shape the attitudes and actions of the adults in Melba's family?

Melba's family is shaped by the "humiliating expectations and traditions", as they are always careful in public. They are mindful of everything, but do not speak up as that could potentially really harm them. For example, when they were overcharged at the grocery store, they gave into paying the more than a day's pay of money so that they wouldn't suffer serious consequences. This shows Melba that no one can really protect her from the rules. Grandma India and Melba's father also have a strong bond because as soon as she looked at him he knew to step back.

India Anette Peyton

Melba's grandmother, extremely religious, Lois's mother

Conrad Patillo

Melba's little brother

Lois Peyton Patillo

Melba's mom, first few blacks to integrate the University of Arkansas, english teacher

Why does Melba's mother insist that she and Melba keep their encounter with the mob outside Central High a secret, even if it means telling a "white lie"? What is a "white lie"? Be sure to delineate it from other lies.

Melba's mother insists on keeping their encounter a secret because it could lead to more danger if other people find out. She says to even tell a white lie in the situation that someone asks her about what happened, because they are already at risk enough. Just like Melba's mom gave Melba the car keys, which is something she would never be able to do, this is the same situation. Melba says, "telling a white lie was something she'd never before given me permission to do. She swore me to absolute silence, saying above all else those men must not connect us with their ugly deed. If we told the story and they found out who they were chasing, they might come after us to finish the job." (page 41) A white lie is a lie that is used for protection, and it is only used for the purpose of safety. It is different from other lies because unlike other lies it doesn't deal with deception. The fact that Melba's mom is allowing her to do things Melba was never allowed to do shows how serious this issue is.

8. How do Melba's parents and grandmother respond to the news that she has been chosen to attend Central High? What do they fear? Why do they let her attend in spite of those fears?

Melba's parents are angry with her. Just like Melba describes it, "with horrified expressions, they looked at me as though I had lied or sassed Grandma or grown a second nose." (page 23) Melba's mother even stopped talking to her, and Melba even said, "Grandma's mouth was poked out, but she talked to me, saying over and over again that I was too smart for my britches." (page 23) They fear their safety, but deep inside they know it is for the best and let her attend because this could change them for the better. They want her to have more opportunities.

Thurgood Marshall

NAACP attorney (lawyer) lawyer that represented the Brown family in brown versus board of education. He is also the first black Supreme Court justice

NAACP

National Association for the advancement of colored people. And African-American civil rights organization in the United States formed in1909

Dwight Eisenhower

President of the United States "Ike"

"Jim Crow"

Rules that limited the access blacks had (ex. To vote you had to be able to sign your name or read from the Bible)

Mrs. Pickwick

Shorthand teacher

In what sense are Melba and the other eight student "warriors"? What qualities must warriors have to get them through the year?

The Little Rock Nine are "warriors" in the sense of fighting for what they believe in. They all possess qualities of warriors because they are religious ("God's warriors"), intelligent/ strong mentally, have perseverance and flexibility and hard-working students who don't give up. Their church community helps them get through the rough times, (especially for Melba and how the church prayed for her). In addition, they all have each other to get through the year. Just like Melba says, "the nine of us were developing a true friendship - becoming closer knit than we might have been under other circumstances. We talking about our fears, what we missed at our old school, and our hopes that the integration issues would soon be resolved." (page 54) They are all fighting together for the same goal and have each other's backs in order to do so.

5. Why don't the adults call the police? What do they fear?

The adults don't call the police because they fear that it would make the incident worse. Melba's father states: "We ain't gonna call the law. Those white police are liable to do something worse to her than what already happened." (page 18) No one will do anything about it and that there would be repercussions against her because she is black and all the police are white.

Discuss the role the media plays in the crisis. What kind of impact does it have?

The media has the impact of putting more pressure and stress on the Little Rock Nine and Melba. For example, when Elizabeth was all alone with the angry mob, her name was all over the headlines. The fact that all the black students can be published in the media puts Melba at risk as people can start finding out who the Little Rock Nine is. Just like Melba says during the meeting, "cameras flashed, bright lights stung my eyes, and reporters asked lots of questions for the next half hour...My heart raced with fear and anticipation as I observed the process. I was almost hypnotized by the wonder of it all." (page 57) The media creates more pressure on Melba.

Jess Matthews

The principal of central high

Howell (Melba's dad)

railroad worker, doesn't finish college, him and Melba's mother is divorced.