Our first stop in Arkansas was a deeply thought provoking one as we visited Little Rock Central High School, the scene of a historically defining desegregation crisis that took place in September 1957. As a test of the 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, in which the United States Supreme Court ruled that segregated schools were illegal, Thelma Mothershed, Minnijean Brown, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls, Gloria Ray, Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, and Melba Pattillo became the first African American students to attend the school as part of forced desegregation.
The story of the Little Rock Nine, as these students became famously named, is widely known and for those who are unfamiliar with their story, we strongly urge you to read about it.
Today Little Rock Central High School is the only operating high school in the nation to be designated a National Historic Site and deservedly so. Ranger Randy Dotson from the National Park Service gave us superb insight into this disturbing chapter of history which became a stepping stone in the Civil Rights movement. But visiting the school ourselves, standing before it on Park Street where mobs of protesters pushed, screamed at and spat on these nine terrified students, and then climbing the same steps that they did up to the school building, made their story very real and very disturbing.
Costing $1.5 million to build in 1927, Little Rock Central High School was the largest and most expensive school in the nation. It was named ‘America’s Most Beautiful High School’ by the American Institute of Architects and included 100 classrooms and a 2000-seat auditorium.The steps that the Little Rock Nine famously walked up to enter the school while escorted by the 101st AirbornePark Street which runs in front the school. A relatively quiet street today, it was filled with thousands of protesters in September 1957, angry at the notion of allowing black students into the school. The media filmed footage of the mob jeering, harassing and obstructing the way of the Little Rock Nine.This quiet service station on the corner of Park Street, across from the school, became the base for journalists who were there to cover the crisis. One of the few businesses near the school, it had a public phone and reporters used this phone to deliver their stories as the news unfolded. It was also the only available source of power to run the news cameras thanks to external power points on the building.A photo tribute to the crisis and the Little Rock Nine in the commemorative garden across from the visitor centerThe Supreme Court deemed that the segregation of schools was unconstitutional
A warm acknowledgement to Gavin and the staff at The Root Cafe in Little Rock. We stopped here for a quick bite at this great cafe that showcases locally sourced produce. We absolutely recommend The Root Cafe to anyone who is passing by.
Hard blackberry lemonade at The Root Cafe
Leaving Little Rock we headed north towards the Ozarks and found ourselves in Bentonville. Here we visited the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and experienced the kaleidoscopic Infinity Mirrored Room by Yayoi Kusama. As we walked through the small room, we were surrounded by mirrors and paper lanterns that have dots that change color. The resulting effect makes you feel the dots expand forever into the universe.
The museum also has on display many sculptures and paintings that represent the past and present domain of American art and beyond. The museum is free and the building itself is beautiful to walk through.
Inside the Infinity Mirrored Room Infinity Mirrored Room Plexus No. 27 by Gabriel Dawe, 2014. This is made up of miles of coloured thread that has been strung between hooks on the walls and gives the impression of an ever-changing shape depending on where in the room you are standing.Some/One by Do Ho Sun, 2004. This sculpture, a cross between a robe and body armour, has been constructed with thousands of stainless steel military dog tags.Depression Bread Line by George Segal, 1991. Depicting five American men waiting in line for public assistance during the Great Depression, this sculpture will be familiar to anyone who has seen the replica at the Roosevelt Memorial in Washington DC.Maman by Louise Bourgeois, 1999. Just like the one at the Doha National Convention Center, this spider towers over a courtyard at the art museum in Arkansas. It was a little strange to find a piece of Doha in Arkansas.
Bentonville is also home to the first store to bear the Walton name, after its owner Sam Walton who went on to become the founder of Walmart. The store is now the Walmart Museum, telling the story of Sam and his journey to realise his vision of providing households with goods at the lowest price anytime, anywhere.
The first to bear Sam Walton’s name, this store was the predecessor to Walton’s Walmart franchise that today is found all over America and in locations around the world. The red and white truck is a replica of Walton’s truck that he drove until he passed away in 1992.An advertisement announcing the opening of the first Walmart store in 1962A selection of household products that were offered at discount prices in the first Walmart storeSam Walton believed in the philosophy that the customer is always right. The museum has a display of products with the corresponding reasons for return such as this one.A display of games and toys sold at Walmart dating back to Archie Bunker’s Card Game from 1972This folded flag is on display in the museum as a tribute to the victims of the mass shooting by a gunman at Walmart store #2201 in El Paso, Texas on 3 August 2019. Twenty-two Walmart customers died and many more customers and employees were injured.
Arkansas marks the 40th state on our road trip and we’re now down to our final ten! We now excitedly head to Missouri for a reunion with good friends. See you soon Brian and Ami!
