Civil rights icon Dr. Terrence Roberts, one of nine African-American students known as the Little Rock Nine, recently spoke at the Curley. In 1957, he and the other eight students were denied entrance to the all-white Little Rock Central High School in defiance of the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling ordering integration of public schools. The ensuing standoff between the then Governor of Arkansas and President Dwight D. Eisenhower over their fate was a pivotal moment in the civil rights struggle.

Dr. Roberts was joined by Curley students and teachers who also spoke and performed during the evening. The event was organized by Facing History and Ourselves, an organization that helps facilitate a year-long race relations curriculum in school systems across the country, including the Boston Public Schools. One of the members of the organization is Curley parent Jeremy Nesoff.

A thoughtful piece on the event was written by Laura Plummer for the Jamaica Plain Gazette. Read it here.

The photos below of the event were taken by Amika Kemmler-Ernst. Thanks Amika!