The Long Shadow of Little Rock: A Memoir by Daisy Bates - Research Paper Example

The Long Shadow of Little Rock: A Memoir Task Book Report The Long Shadow of Little Rock: A Memoir The book is ‘Long Shadow ofLittle Rock’, a memoir by Daisy Bates who was a civil rights activist and an author. A memoir is a historical event written by an author from her own personal life experience. Memoir is derived from a French word implying memory. The events in the book are real and took place in 157, thus making the book fall under historical category. I chose this book because it is an inspirational and historical that highlights racism in America, specifically Arkansas.

The story is about the fight for independence by the black people. In ‘Long Shadow of Little Rock’, Bates is re-telling the story about the day Governor Faubus commanded guards to surround little rock ‘Central High School’, a white school, to prevent nine black students from entering. She recounts how her husband and herself fought against discrimination and disintegration of schools. Fortunately, she finally won the case and walked the students into the school. This memoir is inspires and edifies, since it tells of the effects of racism and its end.

The major characters in the book are Daisy bates, Governor Ovral Faubus, president Einshower and the nine black students. Daisy Bates is the central character in the book; hence the story revolves around her. The importance of Daisy is that she signifies the voice of the Negroes. She is an author and newspaper owner who publishes stories that are targeted at improving the lives of Negroes. Daisy being a journalist covers the incident at little rock; hence she becomes the target of the whites.

Daisy’s mother was sexually ill-treated and murdered; she was attacked by a stone with a threatening note (Bates, 4), all by white people. The way her anguish and affliction are depicted signifies the suffering the black people experienced. Governor Ovral Faubus is a key character in the book. He signifies the white people and all the injustices they caused the blacks. Faubus ordered the national government to guard the gates of the school to prevent the black learners from going inside the learning institution compound.

He was a racist who did nothing, but social injustice to the Negroes. President Einshower is a chief character in the book. He stands for the change that brought equity between the two races. He was a white man who did not deem white superiority, thus advocated for the rights of the blacks. President Einshower sent police into little rock to allow the black students enter the school. The nine black students are key characters in the story as they represent the oppressed black race. They are denied entrance to the school and threatened with death by the white mob.

When President Einshower and Daisy Bates intervene, they were permitted into the school. This depicts the freedom victory by the blacks. The events at little rock occurred in 157 twelve years after the WW2. The plot is located in little rock Arkansas a town noted for being the cleanest for its size (Bates, 1). This Memoir tells of one significant problem that had to be overcome: racism. The blacks suffered a lot under the injustices of the white people caused by racism. An example is when Bates goes to buy cut pork chops and is only given fats (Bates, 8).

This is after waiting in the queue for some time as white customers are served before her. The butcher’s remarks tell of the deep discrimination whites had for black people. Injustice is seen when a ‘coloured’ man lies to Daisy’s mother then sexually ill-treats and murders her (Bates, 11). The police do nothing to investigate the murder. The schools have been disintegrated in the case of the 9 black learners who were excluded from entering ‘Central High School’. This is because they felt that black students should not mix with the white students.

Daisy’s dad act of falling on his knees and crying to his daughter that he has no power over the white men shows black people’s despair (Bates,). In ‘Long Shadow of Little Rock’, Daisy Bates was a civil rights activist, who fought for the rights of the black race in America. The story states other problems faced by the blacks which had to be overcome. The problems include improvement of living standards of the black Americans and integration of schools and other facilities. The black people had humble lives, since they could only secure jobs at the mills.

They had to start living up to their potential by getting qualifications and seeking jobs at places that had previously been white domain. Negroes had to integrate schools and other facilities to enable them get quality services like their counterparts. These services like education would enable them to improve their status and achieve equality. This memoir by Daisy Bates is an excellent book that covers a historical event in a simple and compelling way. This book is emotions inducing and instils hope for a better tomorrow for the black race.

I would recommend this book to a friend to aid him/her to understand the negative effects of racism. I would read other books by this author because her style of writing is easy, captivating and memorable. Work Cited Bates, Daisy. The Long Shadow of Little Rock. Fayetteville, Ark: University Of Arkansa Press, 2007. Print.