By Mirella Flores
Daisy Gatson Bates was a Civil Rights activist, writer, and newspaper publisher. Bates was honored as one of the 2016 National Women’s History Month Honorees for her role as a Civil Rights Organizer, and here’s why:
Bates and her husband, Lucious Christopher “L. C.” Bates, operated the Arkansas State Press, a weekly African-American newspaper that championed the Civil Rights movement. Bates’ involvement led her to become the President of the Arkansas Chapter of the National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1952. In this position, Bates played a crucial role in the fight against segregation.
Even after the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling that declared that school segregation was unconstitutional, African American students who tried to enroll in White schools in Arkansas were still being turned away. Bates and her husband chronicled this battle in their newspaper. However, Bates efforts to integrate schools did not stop there.
Ever heard of the Little Rock Nine? The Little Rock Nine were the first African American students who in 1957 attended the all-White Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Bates placed a crucial role in the integration of the Little Rock school. Bate’s home was the headquarters for the battle to integrate the high school, and she served as a personal advocate and supporter of the Little Rock Nine.
As the Little Rock Nine made their first attempt to attend Central High School on September 4, 1957, they were met by a group of angry White people who jeered them as they arrived. To top this off, the Arkansas National Guard prevented the Little Rock Nine from entering the school. However, Bates and the Little Rock Nine perceived. Finally, on September 25, 1957, the Little Rock Nine were escorted by U.S. soldiers and attempted their first day of classes. Bates maintained a close relationship with the Little Rock Nine and she continued to support them as they faced harassment and intimidation. If you want a more in depth read, I would recommend Bate’s autobiography, The Long Shadow of Little Rock: A Memoir.