From Little Rock to Muscatine: School desegregation pioneers share their stories in Iowa

Carlotta Walls LaNier of the Little Rock Nine and Leona Tate of the New Orleans Four are coming to Iowa from Oct. 1-3 for three evenings to discuss their stories and the importance of education.

The story of six-year-old Ruby Bridges, from William Frantz Elementary, goes as follows: on Nov. 14, 1960, U.S. Marshals escorted Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana. What most don’t know, however, is that on the same day, six-year-old Leona Tate and three other girls also integrated the all-white McDonogh 19 Elementary School, earning them the name of The New Orleans Four. Three years earlier, in 1957, Carlotta LaNier and eight other teenagers in Arkansas integrated Little Rock Central High School, becoming the Little Rock Nine, by the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division.

“The struggle for educational equality was never limited to one city or one state,” said Tate. “Susan Clark’s courage in Iowa during the 1860’s and our experience in New Orleans during the 1960’s are part of a larger history of young people and families challenging segregation and demanding the right to an equal education.”

Susan Clark and her father, civil rights activist Alexander Clark, were important figures in desegregating schools in Iowa. After 12-year-old Susan was denied admission to Muscatine’s all-white school in 1867, her father took the case to the Iowa Supreme Court, winning in 1868.

“Bringing these stories together allows us to recognize both the progress that has been made and the work that remains,” added Tate.

The event’s time and place varies per day. The schedule is as follows:

• Oct. 1: 6:00-8:00 PM (Carlotta LaNier and Leona Tate), Stanley Center for Peace and Security, 304 Iowa Avenue, Muscatine, IA
• Oct. 2: 6:00-8:00 PM (Carlotta LaNier and Leona Tate), Plymouth Church, 4126 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines, IA
• Oct. 3: 5:00-7:00 PM (Leona Tate) First Congregational United Church of Christ, 315 Moore Street, Algona, IA. 

All three evenings are free and open to the public. Click here to RSVP, as it is recommended to do so.

All three nights begin with a 30-minute reception. Ms. LaNier and/or Tate will share their stories through a 60-minute program afterwards through short multimedia presentations and questions from author Rachelle Chase and agriculturalist Joshua Manske, who will moderate the conversation. Audience members are also encouraged to ask questions and engage. The Muscatine evening will also include Joshalyn Hickey-Johnson, author of Susie Clark: The Bravest Girl You’ve Ever Seen.

All evenings will end with a book signing, where attendees can chat with Ms. LaNier and/or Tate and purchase their books, available through Des Moines bookseller, Nos Books. During the first night in Muscatine, IA, attendees have the chance to meet with Ms. Hickey-Johnson and have their book signed.

“I hope these conversations remind us that change is possible when people have the courage to challenge injustice, and that each generation has a responsibility to carry that work forward,” said Tate. “The struggle I faced in 1960 and still face today, connects with Susan Clark’s struggle in 1860, but the core issues remain: Who gets access, who gets heard, and who is willing to stand up when the system is unfair.”

This three-day event is made possible by the following partners and sponsors: Stanley Center for Peace and Security, co-organizer Joshua Manske, co-organizer Rachelle Chase, Deborah Manske, Iowa Farmers Union, Black Child Development Institute – Iowa, and Plymouth Church, Des Moines.