Motivators and doers – what would the world be without these people? These are the beings who turn belief into action and compel the masses to follow their example, sometimes without knowing it. In 1957, nine young African Americans voluntarily chose to desegregate Little Rock Central High and break free from the black and white mold created by society. These young students became known as the Little Rock Nine – hated by those who didn't look like them, terrorized by their classmates, and even ostracized by their people. From the moment these young African Americans enrolled at Central High, they became warriors for equality in the face of the battlefield of racism. It was their determination that helped break down the walls of segregation. The position taken by the Little Rock Nine some fifty years ago not only served as a catalyst for the civil rights movements in America, but also as an example for all, then and now . In the 1950s, segregation between blacks and whites was commonplace in Little Rock. It was rare for them to share facilities such as grocery stores, restaurants, and toilets. Racial composition influenced almost every aspect of life and was considered legal because of the “separate but legal” law, Plessy v. Ferguson. Terrence Roberts, one of the nine, remembers walking into an all-white restaurant at the age of thirteen and receiving such hostile and unwelcoming looks as he simply sat there waiting for his food. Roberts says this was the day “I woke up…and I could not, in good conscience, follow the rules of segregation” (Roberts, 2007). Two years later, the opportunity arose for Roberts and the nine others to close the gap that segregation had opened between the races thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Council of the Education...... middle of paper ..... .erica must continue to move forward on the long road ahead.Works CitedBeals, MPB. (1995). Warriors don't cry. New York, NY: Simon Pulse. Armed troops push back nine Negroes to the central high school. (1957, September 4). Arkansas Democrat, p. 1.Little New Rock. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 18, 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Rock_NineRoberts, TJ (nd). A memoir from one of the Little Rock Nine. Retrieved from http://www.butlercenter.org/publication/books/lessonsfrom/questions.htmlRoberts, T.J. (Photographer). (2007). Terrence Roberts at the 2007 New England Benefit Dinner. [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.facinghistory.org/video/terrence-roberts-2007-new-england-benefit-diCBS News Staff, Initials. (Photographer). (1957). Photos of the little rock-1957. [Internet]. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/2300-500142_162-3289400.html