Lessons learned
Dr. Terrence Roberts reflects on his role with the ‘Little Rock 9’and the future of America’s first black president
By Carl Kozlowski 01/28/2010
Pasadena’s Dr. Terrence Roberts’ life as a major historical figure began in Arkansas in 1957 after he volunteered along with eight other African-American students to help desegregate Little Rock Central High School — an act that attracted worldwide attention and earned the determined group the now-iconic moniker “Little Rock 9” after former President Dwight D. Eisenhower called in the National Guard to forcibly enable their entry to the school.
Last week, Roberts, possessing a unique perspective on six decades of struggles over civil rights, shared remembrances of those volatile times and some thoughts on what he sees as a three-pronged attack being waged by conservative forces against America’s first black chief executive, Barack Obama, during the president’s first year in office.
But first, Roberts wanted to set the record straight about Eisenhower, a Republican who did not support the emerging civil rights movement of the 1950s and was not pleased by the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954 that opened up public schools to non-white students. It was only because desegregation had been enshrined into law by the Warren Court, led by then Chief Justice and fellow Republican Earl Warren, that Eisenhower sent troops to enforce that law; not because he had any desire to see integration become a reality.
“It wasn’t about partisan politics, because Eisenhower gets a lot of credit for sending the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock. But he himself was no friend of black people, based on his other records and statements he made,” said Roberts, who recently penned a memoir, “Lessons from Little Rock,” which he will be signing and discussing Saturday afternoon at La Pintoresca Library in Pasadena.
“I think the Obama administration, for some odd reason, has come under fire from a number of quarters, led by those who opposed his election in the first place, then a second group that had unrealistic expectations,” Roberts observed.
“It was unlikely for him to undo all the damage in one year that had been done in the prior eight years. And the third group just likes to throw darts,” he said. “All three create problems over and above the problems any administration has to face, because the administration has to divide its attention even more than other presidents.”
With the eyes of the world upon them, the Little Rock 9 did well in school, all of those students becoming successful members of communities across the country. Roberts has long established himself as a psychologist in Pasadena and frequently makes appearances at area schools in order to help inspire the current generation of students.
His talk at La Pintoresca Library will cover numerous topics aside from the dramatic events at Central High 53 years ago, among them the ongoing effects of racism on daily life and the lessons that he learned over all that time — particularly the need to embrace our country’s cultural and racial differences.
“It’s a memoir about that year, 1957,” Roberts said. “I think the primary lesson we learned was that when people are closed to change, they will make their voices heard and heard loudly. The opposition was fierce, so much so that the governor [Orval Faubus] closed down all the schools in the city to prevent further desegregation.”
Now 68, Roberts moved to Pasadena in 1980 after living in Northern California. His wife was a college educator and together they raised two daughters; now they are grandparents to two kids as well. In the midst of recalling the Central High incidents, Roberts noted that all nine former students “stay in touch all the time.”
“We have the Little Rock 9 Foundation,” says Roberts. “I encourage people to check out the Web site littlerock9.com and donate money for scholarships.”
Roberts remains hopeful that Obama will pull through his current political problems, then build and retain the respect necessary for a successful presidency and a second term in office.
“I feel we have a tremendous agenda if we were to accept the challenge,” said Roberts. “As citizens, we could virtually resolve all our issues, but that involves cooperation, which we don’t seem to be getting. Obama’s approach is very sound, but he needs cooperation and people willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work. But if their only contribution is carping, that’s a no-go.”
Dr. Terrence Roberts will discuss his memoir, “Lessons From Little Rock,” from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the La Pintoresca Branch of the Pasadena Public Library, 1355 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. The event is free. Call (626) 744-7268.
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