A Central "Must See" Destination
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Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
A major U.S. Civil Rights landmark, this National Historic Site is still a working school. The first African-American students – "the Little Rock Nine" – were admitted here in 1957 following a confrontation between Governor Orval Faubus, who used the state’s National Guard to block desegregation, and President Eisenhower, who sent federal troops to enforce it. Located across the street is the Central High Museum & Visitor Center. The new center opened Sept. 24, 2007 coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the 1957 desegregation crisis. Features 3,000-square-feet of permanent exhibits covering the 1957 events that took place at Central High School and its role in the greater civil rights movements in the U. S; audio/visual and interactive programs; bookstore. A permanent exhibit, "All the World is Watching Us: Little Rock and the 1957 Crisis" details the events of the 1957 desegregation crisis at the school. The former visitor center, a restored Mobil Service Station, is now used for special programs.