“You’ll make this your last cry. You’re a warrior on the battlefield for your Lord. God’s warriors don’t cry, ’cause they trust that he’s always by their side.”
Could you fight through emotional and physical abuse every day at school just to make a difference? Nine students did this exact thing in 1957 when they integrated into Central High School in Little Rock, Ark. Melba was one of these students and she writes the bare bones truth about her experience in Warriors Don’t Cry. It gives a first-person perspective to a very important time in U.S. history.
A friend read Warriors Don’t Cry and I immediately added it to my list and got on the library waiting list for the book. It was available after just a week or so. She had listened to the book and warned about the language, but it’s true to the time period. After she described the book, I knew I had to read it.
In Warriors Don’t Cry, Melba gives an in-depth perspective to the daily struggle she faced being one of the first to integrate in Little Rock. She was tripped, pushed, kicked, called names, threatened, egged, inked – targeted every single day. Some days there were fewer attacks when the 101st Airborne soldiers or Arkansas National Guard soldiers were there. She was a warrior to create a better future for not just herself, but all children of color in Arkansas and the United States.
I would highly encourage this book for any reader high school age or older. It’s an important read to understand this time in history. I learned a lot from this book because it’s from one person’s perspective and is very detailed. Read this book!
Do you know much about the integration of Central high School? Share what you know in the comments below!