Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later (2007) Online

A riveting documentary on Central Rock High fifty years after it was forcibly integrated by the federal government under President Eisenhower. I was disappointed that this documentary did not focus more on the experience of the African American students who were escorted to Central Rock by the 101st U.S. Airborne division. There is some presentation of this, but the main emphasis is on Central Rock today.

This documentary follows students (black and white) into their high school and their communities. It does not flinch on racial issues and on the racial divide that exists in America. Like all good documentaries it presents several points of view and allows the viewer to absorb and make up his own mind. I could not help but notice how clean the high school looked.

It is true that America has come a long way since the Little Rock of 1957, but after viewing this documentary we must acknowledge that much needs to be done. For more on what happened in Little Rock in 1957 I strongly recommend 'A Mighty Long Way' by Carlotta Walls Lanier. Carlotta Walls was one of the original nine students who integrated into Central High. The pain that she and her family experienced from this gives a good historical back-drop to this documentary.