Central High School

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS

Things were supposed to be changing for the better. The federal government made desegregation a law, but in the fall of 1957, when nine African American students courageously tried to make their way through the front doors of the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, things turned ugly. Governor Orval Faubus called in the National Guard to block the Little Rock Nine’s way, and chaos ensued, with thousands of white protesters angrily pushing back against their integration efforts.

Later on September 25, President Dwight Eisenhower called in federal troops for backup to enforce the law. The Little Rock Nine were escorted to class and became symbols of bravery in the integration struggle during the civil rights movement.

Today, students of all colors attend Central High. And in addition to being home to the historic public high school, the campus also contains a visitors center run by the National Park Service. Group leaders can arrange tours to look at this critical piece of civil rights education history. Though they aren’t allowed inside the school, groups can explore the visitors center and museum and see nearby Magnolia Mobil Gas Station — once the heart of Little Rock’s live media reporting during the civil rights movement.

“It’s a very visual experience [and] very hands-on for all kinds of learners — auditory and visual,” said Brian Schweiger, chief of interpretation at Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

Schweiger encourages visitors to take a walk around the site, mainly through the Commemorative Gardens, where there’s a photo exhibition of Central High’s history. For an immersive audio experience, he recommends visitors download the National Park Service app or enhance the tour with a podcaststyle history of the school done in partnership with current students there.

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Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site TOPEKA, KANSAS

Long considered one of the most critical turning points in U.S. education history and the civil rights movement, the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in the Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark victory. Today, Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka, Kansas, preserves the site of one of the schools involved in the case and is worth planning a trip around.

Visitors will learn about the five individual lawsuits, all with the same goal of ending segregation, that were combined by the Supreme Court to challenge the fallacy of separate but equal public schools.

It was a time of deep inequality in the school system, and students and their families refused to stop fighting until the landmark Supreme Court case outlawed segregation nationally, changing the educational landscape forever.

For visitors looking to immerse themselves in the inner workings of the case, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site has extensive exhibitions, including a film that explores racism and segregation history. There’s a photo gallery documenting the years leading up to the Supreme Court decision and a legacy room that speaks to the impact and importance of Brown v. Board of Education.

“Prepare for an impactful experience,” said Nicholas Murray, park ranger of interpretation, education, and visitor services at the site. “Our exhibits are designed to be emotionally impactful. Right away, when you walk into the building, we have segregated signs up to get you in the mindset of what it was like to live in a segregated society.”

NPS.GOV/BRVB