Docudrama on Little Rock Nine to be presented for Black History Month

Friendship Baptist Church is recreating accounts of The Little Rock Nine on Sunday in honor of Black History Month.

The church's Black History Program Committee, along with the entire Friendship Baptist Church family, invites the public to join them in commemorating Black History Month with the debut of "The Little Rock Nine: In Their Own Words," written by Mary Suber, committee chairperson.

The docudrama, based on Melba Beals' book, "Warrior's Don't Cry," will be presented Sunday at 3 p.m. at the URS Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is free, and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Beals' memoir "Warriors Don't Cry" was assigned reading to students at Schofield Middle School, and Suber's daughter was one of them.

Suber said the book, taken from Beals' diary, is about achieving academic success in spite of opposition.

The nicknamed "Little Rock Nine" was a group of black students who were enrolled at the racially segregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. They were initially blocked from entering the school by Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus and the Army National Guard.

The students were Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed and Melba Beals. Green was the first black student to graduate from Central High School.

"The nine students emerged as victors, not victims, with indestructible faith, courage, strength and hope," according to a press release. "The audience will hear and see their story through an amalgam of music, black and white AP photos, re-enactments and, during intermission, a slide presentation of Central High School today. The talented cast of veteran performers includes Moses Kirkland ("Purlie Victorious") and Bernice Deloach (Heart Fund shows)."

For more information, call Friendship Baptist Church at 648-9290.