FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ronald E. Childs, 312/986-1260 OR
Thelma A. Walker, 312/986-1265
rchilds@flowerscomm.com
twalker@flowerscomm.com
‘LITTLE ROCK NINE’ TO BE HONORED AT 50 th ANNIVERSARY GALA, HOSTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
Event To Commemorate 50 th Anniversary Of the End of School Segregation In U.S.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., (February 20, 2007) — Fifty years ago in Little Rock, Arkansas, began a series of days in which a cloud of shame was cast over the entire country. Yet through that cloud, a brilliant ray of courage shone through, offering the nation the hope of a truly “United” States of America. Nine Black teenagers—Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Melba Pattillo, Jefferson Thomas and Carlotta Walls—who would come to be affectionately known as the “ Little Rock Nine,” were escorted by federal troops as they walked through the doors of this city’s Central High School. The youths’ actions helped to enforce the United States’ landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education, which called for the desegregation of all public schools nationwide. Their courageous stand also helped to define the Civil Rights Movement.
On September 24 th of this year, and one day before the event’s golden anniversary, national and local leaders, and the public at large, will come together to officially honor those brave students at the Little Rock Nine® Foundation’s 50 th Anniversary}
Celebration and Scholarship Awards Gala. Chaired by former President Bill Clinton, and with the Coca-Cola Company as the lead corporate sponsor, the Gala Celebration will be held In Little Rock, at the Peabody Hotel. The event is being planned and targeted as a major kick-off fund-raising campaign for the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation, which will be the cornerstone of an endowment for the Scholarship and Mentoring Program. During the Gala, scholarships will be awarded to nine future leaders, who will be chosen through an essay competition among students from underperforming schools around the country.
LITTLE ROCK NINE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION/ 2
“We are delighted that President Bill Clinton has agreed to chair the Little Rock Nine® Foundation’s 50 th Anniversary Celebration and Scholarship Awards Gala,” said Carlotta Walls LaNier, president of the Foundation. “It is an honor to use this occasion to commemorate the courage of a group who, along with other brave men and women, helped spearhead the Civil Rights Movement. Although we have come a long way in terms of equality, the struggle continues, and that is why it is so important to recognize those who paved that road upon which we are still marching today,” she continued.
Also, in honor of this historic event, the U.S. Mint has issued a Little Rock Nine commemorative coin. The coin is a symbolic recognition of the strength, determination and courage displayed by African-American high students in the fall of 1957. The U.S. Mint will issue up to 500,000 coins to commemorate the anniversary.
The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation is comprised of the original nine students who together braved the storm in Arkansas, seeking an equal opportunity for quality education. Now, 50 years later, the nine are still together, and are actively committed to the mission of helping future generations realize as they did, that education matters, and is vital for success in every arena in life.
Incorporated in February 1999, the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation has worked to advance the principles of excellence in education for young people from low performing schools. The mission of the Foundation is to provide direct financial support for students to help them reach their educational goals. The Little Rock Nine recognizes the importance of a good education and the continuous life-long process of learning. The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation’s Scholarship and Mentorship Program is designed to not only help financially enable students to pursue higher education, but also to provide them with a mentor who will guide and counsel them through their collegiate experience.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ronald E. Childs, 312/986-1260 OR
Thelma A. Walker, 312/986-1265
rchilds@flowerscomm.com
twalker@flowerscomm.com
‘LITTLE ROCK NINE’ TO BE HONORED AT 50 th ANNIVERSARY GALA, HOSTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
Event To Commemorate 50 th Anniversary Of the End of School Segregation In U.S.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., (February 20, 2007) — Fifty years ago in Little Rock, Arkansas, began a series of days in which a cloud of shame was cast over the entire country. Yet through that cloud, a brilliant ray of courage shone through, offering the nation the hope of a truly “United” States of America. Nine Black teenagers—Minnijean Brown, Elizabeth Eckford, Ernest Green, Thelma Mothershed, Gloria Ray, Terrence Roberts, Melba Pattillo, Jefferson Thomas and Carlotta Walls—who would come to be affectionately known as the “ Little Rock Nine,” were escorted by federal troops as they walked through the doors of this city’s Central High School. The youths’ actions helped to enforce the United States’ landmark Supreme Court decision, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education, which called for the desegregation of all public schools nationwide. Their courageous stand also helped to define the Civil Rights Movement.
On September 24 th of this year, and one day before the event’s golden anniversary, national and local leaders, and the public at large, will come together to officially honor those brave students at the Little Rock Nine® Foundation’s 50 th Anniversary Celebration and Scholarship Awards Gala. Chaired by former President Bill Clinton, and with the Coca-Cola Company as the lead corporate sponsor, the Gala Celebration will be held In Little Rock, at the Peabody Hotel. The event is being planned and targeted as a major kick-off fund-raising campaign for the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation, whichwill be the cornerstone of an endowment for the Scholarship and Mentoring Program. During the Gala, scholarships will be awarded to nine future leaders, who will be chosen through an essay competition among students from underperforming schools around the country.
LITTLE ROCK NINE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION/ 2
“We are delighted that President Bill Clinton has agreed to chair the Little Rock Nine® Foundation’s 50 th Anniversary Celebration and Scholarship Awards Gala,” said Carlotta Walls LaNier, president of the Foundation. “It is an honor to use this occasion to commemorate the courage of a group who, along with other brave men and women, helped spearhead the Civil Rights Movement. Although we have come a long way in terms of equality, the struggle continues, and that is why it is so important to recognize those who paved that road upon which we are still marching today,” she continued.
Also, in honor of this historic event, the U.S. Mint has issued a Little Rock Nine commemorative coin. The coin is a symbolic recognition of the strength, determination and courage displayed by African-American high students in the fall of 1957. The U.S. Mint will issue up to 500,000 coins to commemorate the anniversary.
The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation is comprised of the original nine students who together braved the storm in Arkansas, seeking an equal opportunity for quality education. Now, 50 years later, the nine are still together, and are actively committed to the mission of helping future generations realize as they did, that education matters, and is vital for success in every arena in life.
Incorporated in February 1999, the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation has worked to advance the principles of excellence in education for young people from low performing schools. The mission of the Foundation is to provide direct financial support for students to help them reach their educational goals. The Little Rock Nine recognizes the importance of a good education and the continuous life-long process of learning. The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation’s Scholarship and Mentorship Program is designed to not only help financially enable students to pursue higher education, but also to provide them with a mentor who will guide and counsel them through their collegiate experience.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ronald E. Childs, 312/986-1260 OR
Thelma A. Walker, 312/986-1265
rchilds@flowerscomm.com
twalker@flowerscomm.com
Little Rock Nine ® Foundation Honors 2007
Scholarship and Mentorship Award Recipients
LITTLE ROCK, Ark., (August 21, 2007) – The desegregation of American society has come a long way since 1957, when nine black students walked into Little Rock’s Central High School under armed guard in defiance of the tumultuous racial climate of that time. These courageous young people came to embody the African American struggle for equality, and 50 years later, they’re returning to Little Rock to honor education and perseverance at the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation’s 50 th Anniversary Celebration and Scholarship Awards Gala.
The event takes place on Monday, September 24 th at the Wally Allen Ballroom, Statehouse Convention Center, hosted by former President Bill Clinton and sponsored by Coca-Cola USA. Racial tension in the south has been on a steady decline since 1957, and the brave group of nine students who entered Central High that year, paving the way for that progress, became known as the “Little Rock Nine.” Their story and statement reached the Supreme Court, helping to establish the Brown vs. Board of Education case as one of the pillars of the historic Civil Rights Movement.
“Fifty years ago in Little Rock, nine of us agreed to the rules of what was known at the time as the Blossom Plan (named for then-Superintendent Virgil Blossom), so that we might continue our public high school education at Central,” said Carlotta Walls LaNier, president and spokesperson for the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation. “For each of us, this decision meant leaving life-long friends and agreeing to forego all extra-curricular activities in order to obtain what we thought would be the best education Little Rock had to offer.
Our Scholarship and Mentorship program ties our young winners to their history, and empowers them with the knowledge and belief that they are in a position to make a difference in tomorrow’s world,” she added. “We took a stand to teach the next generation about the importance of education to success.”
To continue the legacy of “Little Rock Nine,” nine leaders of the future will receive scholarships at the September Awards ceremony. Listed as follows are the students who’ve been selected out of a pool of applicants, based upon their written essays, and attainment of a minimum 3.0 GPA:
- Curtis Flournoy Wilbur D. Mills University Studies High School, Little Rock, AR
- José Holloway Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock, AR
- Ruanda McFerren Northside High School, Ft. Smith, AR
- Eivi Colmenero North High School, Denver, CO
- Tiffany Romero North High School, Denver, CO
- Lindsey Brown Craigmont High School, Memphis, TN
- Veronica Billingsley Booker T. Washington High School, Memphis, TN
- John Williams Moises E. Molina High School, Dallas, TX
- Daisha Henry Franklin D. Roosevelt High School, Dallas, TX
Proceeds from the anniversary celebration will benefit students from underperforming schools nationwide. The winning essayists will be officially introduced at the Gala, where they will receive their scholarships and, in addition, meet their assigned mentor.
Due to the overwhelming response for tickets, the Gala was relocated from the Peabody Hotel to the Wally Allen Ballroom, Statehouse Convention Center, located at 1 Statehouse Plaza (West Markham & Main St.) in Little Rock. Delta Air Lines, Inc. is the official carrier for the Little Rock Nine 50 th Anniversary Celebration & Scholarship Awards Gala.
The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation is comprised of the original nine students who together braved a storm of controversy in that Arkansas city, seeking an equal opportunity for a quality education. Fifty years later, the nine are still together today, actively committed to the mission of helping future generations realize, as they did, that education matters and is vital for success in life.
Incorporated in February 1999, the Little Rock Nine ® Foundation has worked to advance the principles of excellence in education for young people from under performing schools. The mission of the Foundation is to provide direct financial support for students to help them reach their educational goals. The Little Rock Nine ® Foundation recognizes the importance of a good education and the continuous life-long process of learning.
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