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'A Mighty Long Way' From Little Rock

In 1957, the "Little Rock Nine" enrolled in racially segregated Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas. Carlotta Walls LaNier was the youngest member of the group.

In her book, A Mighty Long Way, she remembers her journey. Her trip began with a decision she calls a "no-brainer." She signed a piece of paper with her intention to attend Little Rock Central High School, and "didn't think another thing of it."

She finished her tenure at Little Rock Central High with a diploma. "I am the only female of the Little Rock Nine to participate in graduation exercises," she told guest host Andrea Seabrook. "Two others, that were juniors that became seniors, did receive diplomas, but schools were closed during that time."

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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