Warriors Don't Cry Quizlet - Emily, Caroline, and Noah

Riveted

(page 35; verb) - to hold (the eye, attention, etc.) firmly

Frenzy

(page 36; noun) - a state or period of uncontrolled excitement or wild behavior

Epsom Salts

Also known as Magnesium sulfate; often used in baths to relieve stress, help sore muscles/cuts/congestion, and cure skin problems.

Daisy Bates

An African American journalist, newspaper writer, civil rights activist and social reformer who played a key role in the integration of Little Rock's High School in 1975, including organizing the Little Rock Nine.

Conrad Pattillo

Melba Pattillo Beals' brother

"For the first time ever, Grandma placed dinner on trays in front of the television so we could hear President Eisenhower speak to the nation" - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 90

Melba and her family are very anxious to hear information about Melba and the rest of her classmates

Melba's French class

Melba dropped out of this class because the students were "hostile" and rude

December 7, 1941

Melba's birthday and the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour

Tuesday, December 17, 1957

The day where a member of the Little Rock Nine, Minnijean, was being bullied by white kids in Central High School and poured a bowl of hot chili on the boys in front of everybody in the cafeteria

Elizabeth Eckford

was nearly lynched when she was separated from the others when they tried to enroll at Central High School on the first day of classes in early September 1957. She is described by Melba as "petite, quiet, and very private."

Minnijean Brown

was the only member of the Little Rock Nine to be suspended from Central High School for a disciplinary situation in which she dumped a bowl of chili on a white boy who had been unmercifully harassing her in the cafeteria. She later withdrew from Central High. She is Melba's closest friend, a sharp and vibrant girl who is strong and loves the music of Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis - just like Melba!

Pickaninny

(offensively) a small black child; an old man angrily called five year-old Melba this when she wanted to go on a merry-go-round.

Spectators

(page 118; noun) - a person who watches at a show, game, or other event

Subsiding

(page 122; verb) - become less intense, violent, or severe

Deteriorated

(page 127; verb) - to become progressively worse

Inquire

(page 133; verb) - to ask for information from someone

Insidious

(page 143; adjective) - proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects.

Fatigue

(page 147; noun) - extreme tiredness resulting from mental or physical exertion or illness

Systematic

(page 159; adjective) - done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical

Leafed

(page 159; verb) - past tense of leaf; turn over (the pages of a book or the papers in a pile), reading them quickly or casually

Ousted

(page 163; verb) - past tense of oust; drive out or expel (someone) from a position or place

Indignities

(page 168; noun) - treatments or circumstances that cause one to feel shame or to lose one's dignity

Amid

(page 170; preposition) - surrounded by; in the middle of / in an atmosphere or against a background of

Craned

(page 173; verb) - past tense of crane; stretch out one's body or neck in order to see something

Whether

(page 174; conjunction) - expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives / indicating that a statement applies whichever of the alternatives mentioned is the case

Twixt

(page 175; contraction) - betwixt (preposition and an adverb; archaic term for between)

Cloak-and-dagger

(page 186; adjective) - involving or characteristic of mystery, intrigue, or espionage

Veneer

(page 187; noun) - a thin decorative covering of fine wood applied to a coarser wood or other material

Lather

(page 196; noun) - a state of agitation or nervous excitement

Individualist

(page 27; noun) - a person who is independent and self-reliant

Integration

(page 28; noun) - an act or instance of combining an integral into a whole

Yelping

(page 37; verb) - uttering a short, sharp cry, of pain or alarm

Accosted

(page 38; verb) - approach and address someone boldly or aggressively

Nightstick

(page 41; noun) - a police officer's club

Shrill

(page 45; adjective) - (a voice or sound) high-pitched and piercing

Parasol

(page 50; noun) - a light umbrella used to give shade from the sun

Condemn

(page 53; verb) - express complete disapproval of, typically in public

Indifferent

(page 62; adjective) - have no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned

Barricade

(page 84; noun) - an improvised barrier erected across a street or other thoroughfare to prevent or delay the movement of opposing forces

Briefing

(page 93; noun) - a meeting for giving information or instructions

Interval

(page 94; noun) - an intervening time or space

Shorthand

(page 98; noun) - a method of rapid writing by means of abbreviations and symbols, used especially for taking dictation. The major systems of shorthand are those devised in 1837 by Sir Isaac Pitman and in 1888 by John R. Gregg (1867-1948)

Treacherous

(page 99; adjective) - guilty of or involving betrayal or deception

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas

A 1954 Supreme Court case where the justices ruled unanimously that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional.

Melba Pattillo Beals

A central member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African-American students who were the first to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas during the 1957-58 year; Melba is the author of a first-person account of the experience in Warriors Don't Cry.

One Down - Eight to Go

A chant white high schoolers from Central High School would say to the Little Rock Nine after Minnijean was suspended, meant they had already kicked out one of the black students, which they were excited about as many of the white students were against integration.

Cincinnati, Ohio

A city in Ohio; during the mid to late 1950's, was not segregated compared to the south; Melba Pattillo Beals visited there and described it as a promised land and she said she felt free. Almost no discrimination of African Americans during those times (mostly because it was in the North).

Marissa

A crazy girl in Melba's elementary school class, who saved her from getting raped

The New York Post

A daily newspaper in New York City

Valentine's Day, February 14, 1956

A day when Melba and her friends were attacked by students throwing snowballs filled with rocks and Melba realizes that her feelings for Vince are dwindling

NAACP

A group dedicated to gaining equal rights for African-American people that told the Little Rock Nine not go back to Central High for another day due to the protests

"I was no longer allowing hecklers' behavior to frighten me into acting a certain way. For that moment, I was the one making decisions about how I would behave." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 181

A group of hecklers were tormenting Melba in the lunchroom, and she tried to play mind games with them that Grandma India said to do, and it works. She realizes after, that in order to stay at Central High, she has to stand up for herself and not give the segregationists a chance to kick her out. So she begins to do this every time she gets insults and bullied.

Convoy

A group of vehicles with armed troops traveling together for protection

Gandhi

A leader of the Indian independence movement in mid-20th century known for his nonviolent protests; Grandma India tells Melba to use Gandhi's form of protest called "Passive Resistance," which is to approach the bullies with kindness as a way of empowering herself.

George and Carol McCabe

A quaker family who takes Melba in after Governor Faubus shut down Central High

Horace Mann

A school in Little Rock that Melba used to go to, when she invited over her old friends from Horace Mann to her Sweet Sixteen; they never showed up, which resulted in Melba realizing she would never be accepted back into her old group.

Federalism

A system of government in which a written constitution divides power between a central, or national, government and several regional governments

Thurgood Marshall

A very important lawyer for the NAACP (the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and won many different cases, one of the more important ones being the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas.

Injunction

A warning; Melba gets an injunction over the phone that tells her that if she goes to school something bad will happen

Andy

A white Central High student who is verbally bullies Melba and threatens to kill her

Link

A white boy from Central High who saves Melba multiple times from being hurt/killed by his friends; has parents who are segregationists but he doesn't want to be like them; talks to Melba, and helps her when she needs it but still is friends with the boys that harass her

Danny

A white soldier in the 101st Airborne who is assigned to protect Melba

"Meanwhile we are asking you to be patient. Justice will prevail." - Thurgood Marshall, page 55

African-American people have had to be patient and wait for integration for so long, that although they are so close to achieving equality, they still have to be patient and see the integration process through instead of celebrating early. Throughout the integration process the Little Rock Nine have to have confidence and hope that throughout all of their trials and challenges that justice will prevail and that the trying years at Central High School are worth it.

"It was like a nightmare-suddenly my joy and freedom ended. All night they yelled and paced and discussed. By morning mama wasn't talking to me." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 23

After she was told that she was attending Central High School, she soon realised the toll it would have on her parents and how they would feel.

"I don't believe in God. If he's there, why is he letting all this happen?" - Link, page 191

Although God can be a motivator to some in times of duress, others will lose their faith. Link sees the bad in the world, mainly the segregationists in his school that are willing to harm innocent children, and unlike Melba, decides that God would never allow it to happen. Melba, however believes that God does not cause challenges in one's life, but is with them in times of need.

"Mob rule in Little Rock menaces the very safety of the United States and the free world." - President Dwight D. Eisenhower, pages 90 and 91

Although President Eisenhower is white, he is able to recognize that racial prejudice only divides people and is unjust, and is actively trying to fix that. He is also stating that if anyone is able to mob and unjustly kill or lynch people, it decreases the safety and the freedom of the United States.

"She seemed very calm and brave considering the caravans of segregationists said to be driving past her house and tossing fire bombs and rocks through her windows." - Melba Pattillo Beals about Daisy Bates, page 25

Although she is being tested at every moment for trying to get equal rights for African-Americans, Daisy is still able to stay strong in her beliefs and not back down.

Derrick Noble

An African American teenager who became the president of the student body at Central High School 30 years after Melba attended the school

Little Rock, Arkansas

Capital of Arkansas, as well as the place where the Little Rock Nine enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. Was a segregated area in the South, which gained a lot of attention in 1957 due to the integration of Central High School.

"You don't have time to stop. Move out, girl." - Danny, page 111

Danny is a soldier and recognizes the importance of moving on from deadly things and surviving. In order for Melba to make it through her school year alive she has to make it through these difficult times by becoming and soldier and moving on without stopping to dwell on what's happening.

"It's never too late. It takes a warrior to fight a battle and survive. This here is a battle if I've ever seen one." - Danny, page 113

Danny is comparing Melba's experience as a war field, and saying that she needs to be a warrior. Melba needs to stay strong and face her attackers without backing down, and in order to do that Melba needs to become a warrior. Instead of Melba experiencing a normal high school experience, her fights against segregationists result in her school year becoming a warzone.

Desegregation

Elimination of the policy of segregation.

"Danny and the others have truly gone. He didn't even say goodbye. I will always remember this man. How could I forget his name? I will never know if he only behaved that kindly because he was a great soldier or a good person or both." - A passage from Melba Pattillo Beals' diary, page 139

Even though Danny, the soldier that was assigned to protect Melba, left without saying goodbye, he saved Melba's life and she is forever grateful for that.

"If you don't get out of here, you're gonna get us both killed," - Link, page 172

Even though Link didn't need to intervene, he still decided to do the right thing and help Melba even at the risk of getting injured himself. Link is able to see the right thing and try to help out Melba in any small ways he can. Although Link is a white male, someone who traditionally has more rights than anyone else in America, he is able to recognize that other people have less rights than him and try to help them.

Melba's Diary

Given to Melba when she was a young girl by her grandmother, it is pink and it locked with a small key that Melba always keeps with her. Melba writes in her diary every night and views writing in it as writing to God, which helps ground her during the integration process.

Governor Faubus

Governor of Arkansas who is trying to keep the black students out of Central High

"God loves you, child; no matter what, he sees you as his precious idea." - Grandma India, page 76

Grandma India is reassuring Melba and letting her now that whatever Melba does, God is behind her. This reassures Melba that her path is supported by God and that she will be okay, no matter what happens.

"No matter what it took, I wanted to pretend life was normal again. I wanted the feeling of Christmas before integration." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 155

Integration had taken away her friends, leisure activities, and privacy, and now Melba just wanted to have a normal holiday that would make her feel like a normal teenage girl again.

Jim Crow laws

Laws designed to enforce segregation of blacks from whites

Nana Healy

Link's old African American nanny/maid who was let off by his family because she became ill with tuberculosis; Link didn't like how his parents treated her so he would come over to her house, get her food, give her company and take care of her as she doesn't have any kin

Grandma India

Melba Pattillo's grandmother who plays a key role in Melba's experience during Central High. She gave Melba wisdom and support and was the one who told her that "warriors don't cry". She died of leukemia on October 24, 1958.

"Realizing that the dilemma of integration wasn't going to be resolved quickly, everybody seemed to be concerned about our falling behind in schoolwork," - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 54

Melba and her classmates still want to be educated and caught up in schoolwork.

"Everything in me is devoted to being a full-time warrior. When I wasn't actually on the battlefield surviving, I was thinking about how to do it or worried that I wouldn't be able to make it." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 162

Melba devoted her whole life to going to Central and had to make many sacrifices to fight for her rights. The job wasn't easy, but she achieved her goal and got through her first year.

"The folks I counted on most in my life for protection couldn't help me at all. I was beginning to resign myself to the fact that white people were definitely in charge, and there was nothing we could do about it." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 10

Melba grew up with the thought that she was lesser than white people because of the society she lived in. She believed that white people were always going to be the ones making the rules, but she once realized that she could possibly have the power to change that, so she took action.

"I had fantasized about how wonderful it would be to get inside the huge beautiful castle I knew as Central High School. But the reality was so much bigger, darker, and more treacherous that I had imagined." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 74

Melba had wanted to go to Central, graduate, and have a time that she would always remember. She knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park, but once she had experienced all of the threats, hurtful words, and slaps, she realized that it was going to be the opposite of easy.

"Dear diary, It's happening today. What I'm afraid of most is that they won't like me and integration won't work and Little Rock won't become like Cincinnati, Ohio." - A passage from Melba Pattillo Beals' diary, page 31

Melba is afraid that integrating Central High won't succeed and the African-American people will remained segregated, unlike in Ohio.

"Dear God, We can't get along without you. Governor Fabulous has lots of attorneys and the paper says they have more than two hundred witnesses. I'm counting on you once and for all to make it clear weather you want me in that school. Thy will be done." - A passage from Melba Pattillo Beals' diary, page 60

Melba is uncertain that God wants her to attend the school because they are faced with a lot of hardship and hate.

"I felt proud and sad at the same time. Proud that I lived in a country that would go this far to bring justice to a little rock girl like me, but sad that they have to go to such great lengths." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 95

Melba is very thankful that someone is stepping up to help her and her friends integrate the school, but she doesn't like how hard it is to do it.

"This is the day I hope to meet Governor Faubus face to face. I can't decide what to say to him. If only he would listen to me one minute, I can make him understand there is nothing so bad about me that he should not allow white children to go to school with me." - A passage from Melba Pattillo Beals' diary, page 61

Melba wants to meet with the Governor to convince him that African-Americans are just the same as everyone else, and they should be treated the same.

"The integration had stolen my sixteenth birthday." - A passage from Melba Pattillo Beals' diary, page 147

Melba wasn't allowed to go out and hang out with her friends during her birthday because of the danger that they could face, so she had to stay inside of her house.

Marsha

Melba's good friend, although not one of the Little Rock Nine, who eventually begins to avoid Melba's company because she feared violence.

"I remembered changing the rules of the game. I stood up straight, smiled politely and said in a friendly voice, "Thank you. I've been needing the exercise. You've done wonders for my arm muscles.'" - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 165

Melba's grandmother had told Melba one day, to give thanks to the people who would do bad things to her, so they wouldn't get the satisfactory feeling they get if she reacts in a sad way. Melba tries this new method, and it works, creating the bullies to be confused. This represents Melba's character and the method helps her with any insult that is said to her later on.

Mother Lois

Melba's mother and one of first African Americans to get Masters Degree at Arkansas

Mrs. Pickwick

Melba's shorthand teacher who disciplines the segregationists

"If you move, you move to the office and see the principal," - Mrs. Pickwick, page 78

Mrs. Pickwick is a no-nonsense teacher, and doesn't tolerate disobedience in her class. Although many of Melba's other teachers allow or even encourage the white students to be mean to Melba, Mrs. Pickwick is a much needed ally of Melba and controls the white students in her class.

Tuesday, September 3, 1957

On this day, the governor of Little Rock, Arkansas, Governor Faubus, called the National Guard to keep Central High segregated; caused the Little Rock Nine to have to wait to start school until the next day.

The Arkansas National Guard

Part of the reserve components of the United States National Guard, they were ordered by Governor Faubus to block the Little Rock Nine from entering Central High School on their first day of class, and did nothing to protect the students from the mob in front of the school.

"... on some days I found myself thinking every waking moment about nothing else but my safety" - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 124

Since she was chosen to integrate Central High, Melba has been threatened many times. She needs to look after herself or she will get hurt.

"But with integration, I was nowhere near being free. And in the midst of everything else, I'd almost forgotten my own birthday." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 141

Standing up for her own civil rights had taken over Melba's whole life and all she thought about was Central High. Her mind was so full of scenarios and thoughts about integration, that she almost forgot her own birthday.

Little Rock Assistant Chief of Police Gene Smith →

The Little Rock Assistant Chief, he helped the Little Rock Nine get out of Central High School on their first day of school when there was a mob outside

Monday, September 23, 1957

The Little Rock Nine's first day of actual classes inside Central High School, which ended with them having to leave school early in police cars due to a mob outside of Central High School.

Wednesday, September 4, 1957

The day the Little Rock Nine entered Little Rock Central High School

Federal Judge Ronald Davies

The judge who ordered integrated classes at Central High to begin; asked by white parents to suspend the integration; judge in the court case involving integration and ruled to move forward with the integration process

Mr. Higginbottom

The name for Grandma India's shotgun

The Little Rock Nine

The nine black students (including Melba) who are chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Alabama

Mr. Waylon

The owner of the grocery store Melba's family goes to, overcharged them by twenty-two dollars just because they are black

States Rights

The power and rights that the US states have, which are different than the powers the federal government has.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower

The president from 1953 to 1961, sends the 101st Airborne Division to Central High to protect the black students

Central High School

The public high school in Little Rock, Arkansas, that a younger Melba had always wanted to see inside and attend. She finally gets in the school when she is chosen as one of the originally seventeen, though it got whittled down to nine, black students to attend Central High School for the first time ever on September 4th, 1957, and integrate into the previously all-white school.

"And yet I was resigning myself to the fact that, for the moment, I had no choice but to depend on Danny, and God." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 110

There were many moments in the book, where Melba couldn't do anything to help someone and there were many times were she needed help for herself. So, she had to rely on the people around her to help and if there weren't people like Danny, Link, or if she didn't believe in God, she might have not made it through those tough scenarios.

The "covered" golf ball

This object was thrown at Melba in the cafeteria at Central High. A group of boys were harassing her and shot this object with a bean shooter at her; Melba didn't want to give them satisfaction that they would receive if she was mad or sad, so she kindly said thank you, which made them all confused

"Warriors don't cry... "

This saying was told to Melba by Grandma India, and represented that Melba was a warrior for God, fighting against the segregationists for equality. Another version of this quote was said by Danny, where he calls Melba a warrior and that she needs to fight to survive the battle of integration.

"I had to appear confident and alert. I squared my shoulders trying not to show how frightened and timid I really felt. I told myself I had to be like a soldier and battle. I could only imagine a 101st trooper crying or moping when he got hurt." - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 109

Throughout the book, Melba keeps a promise to herself to stay strong and not show people when she was hurt. If she didn't look passed all the hateful comments and actions, she probably wouldn't have made it through Central High.

Tuesday, September 24, 1957

When Dwight D. Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division to escort the Little Rock Nine into Central High

"'I'm proud of who I am. My color is inconvenient right now but it won't always be like this.'" - Melba Pattillo Beals, page 105

When a news reporter asked if Melba wished she was white, she knew what her answer was after all of the experiences she went through. She had come to the conclusion that she should be proud of who she was and realize that if she could go to Central, and fight for what she believed in, other people would too so her future would, at some point, change.

"Get to the car. Leave without me if you have to." - Mother Lois, page 38

When threatened by the mob of segregationists, Mother Lois puts Melba's safety in front of her own, and is prepared to sacrifice herself for her child, showing her selfless nature.

Acid Spray

also known as pepper spray, this liquid is a lachrymatory agent (a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and temporary blindness) used in policing, riot control, crowd control, and self-defense.

Reporter Alex Wilson

an African-American journalist/reporter during the civil rights movement; editor of Tri-State Defender - African-American newspaper in Memphis Tennessee; covered integration in Central High and was beaten by a mob because they thought he and three other reporters were distracting the crowd; was hit in the head with a brick

The Chile Incident

an incident where one of Melba's friends (Minnijean) is being bullied and she throws chile on the bully as self defense

Thelma Mothershed

had a heart problem and had known Melba for a long time. She is small in stature, wears horn-rimmed glasses but is an excellent student despite her shyness and physical problems.

Santa Rosa, California

is a California city located in Sonoma County known for its wineries. Melba moved to this city to continue her education after Governor Faubus shut down all schools in Arkansas, where she stayed with the McCabe family.

The National Organization of Delta Sigma

is a professional women's sorority founded in 1913, this organization gave a party in Melba's honor to show their support for her during the winter break of 1957

The 101st Airborne Division - "The Screaming Eagles"

is a specialized modular light infantry division of the US Army trained for air assault operations, went to Arkansas to protect the Little Rock Nine until the situation was deemed less hostile.

Gloria Ray

is described by Melba as "delicate in stature, and meticulous about both her attire and her studies." An intense and sagacious person, she proved to be a powerful presence this year.

Terrence Roberts

is described by Melba as "tall, thin, a junior like me, and a friend since first grade." A very verbal person who is funny, smart, and engaging, he continually hummed a cheerful tune, which embodied his sunny personality.

Jefferson Thomas

is described by the author as a "quiet, soft-spoken athlete - tops in his class." He has a subtle sense of humor and is very smart with a dry sense of humor even though he is usually quiet and reserved.

Carlotta Walls

is described by the narrator as "athletic and very sleek and wonderfully energetic." The quintessential girl-next-door type, she was full of confidence and had no trouble trying something new.

Vince

is someone that is Melba often saw when she went to wrestling matches with her grandmother, and who is also in Melba's Sunday school class. For a short while, he and Melba were dating, although they grew apart due to Melba's life being "consumed with integration" and she is unable to fit him into her schedule.

Integration

the act of uniting or bringing together, especially people of different races, Melba and the other eight black students in her class integrate Central High School

Segregation

the action or state of setting someone or something apart from other people or things or being set apart, all of the black people in Little Rock and the general South at the time Warriors Don't Cry takes place were segregated from the white people which caused suppression and resulted in many white people being cruel to Melba and the Little Rock Nine when they try to break down the walls of segregation by integrating their public high school.

Mrs. Huckaby

the vice principal of Central High, this woman can't protect the African-American students but does her best to control some of the attackers, however, towards the end of the year she essentially gives up.

self-defense

use of force that appears reasonably necessary for the self-protection of an intended victim, Danny tells Melba that she need to learn self defence to step up to the bullies

Ernest Green

was the only member of the Little Rock Nine to graduate from Central High School in May 1958. Years later, Carlotta Walls and Jefferson Thomas also graduated from Central High.