http://www.centralhigh57.org

http://www.historychannel.com/community/endangered/centralhs.html

     In September, 1957, the eyes of the nation and the world were upon one public school in a medium-size city in the South as nine black high school students attempted to make good the promise of the Constitution, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, by breaking down the wall of segregation. Throughout the South, similar stories of personal courage and fortitude were played out by other young African-American school children. What made the situation in Little Rock exceptional was not only the city’s long-held reputation of progressivism, racial harmony and moderation, but the militant stance of Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus and his active challenging of Federal and presidential authority. The defensive tactics and rhetoric of Southerners during this era have been aptly described as the last gasps of the Confederacy.

     www.centralhigh57.org is the official web site for the Fortieth (40th) Anniversary commemoration of "one of America’s most important civil rights events."

• Content: On the site’s home page is a brief history of the momentous events of the fall 1957. It is succinct, informative, and clearly written. The site is the official page for the 40th anniversary of the integration of Central High School by the Little Rock Nine, and as such, special activities related to the event in September 1997 are prominently featured. These include a Week of Racial Reconciliation, a visit by President Clinton, and the nomination of the Little Rock Nine for the Congressional Medals of Honor by Arkansas Senator Dale Bumpers. Also on the site’s menu is a timeline of events before and during the 1957-58 school year; information about a planned visitor’s center and museum; a description of Central High School today, including a profile of its student body president, an African American female; a history of the physical structure of Central High School--a landmark in American architecture; news releases related to the anniversary festivities; and place for web visitors to leave their comments about the site and the Civil Rights Movement on a virtual bulletin board. The site also makes good use of visual images including photographs from the 40th Reunion, videos of the black students on the first day of school in 1957 and the remembrances of the events of 1957 by Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine and the first African-American graduate of Central High School. To discover the reaction to events from the perspective of white locals, users can even view the front-pages of the two local daily newspapers in Little Rock and the Central High School student newspaper from the 1957-58 school year.
• Design: The site is beautifully designed and easy to use. The use of visual images is compelling. The links to other information, for example the local newspapers, enhance the quality of the site as well. Concerning the links to other sites, one needs to wonder little about the progress that has been achieved in the past forty years in Little rock racial relations. Along with information about the Little Rock Nine and the Class of 1958 are links to the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Little Rock School District home pages--more than a little ironic considering the public relations nightmare of forty years ago for both the city and the state school board. The most innovative design feature of the site is a virtual tour of Central High in which one is able to move from a panoramic view outside to touring the interior of the building.
• Audience: The Little Rock Central High School web site is appropriate for a general audience. Both those with much knowledge about the events of 1957 and novices will find the site informative.

www.historychannel.com/community/endangered/centralhs.html

• Content: The History Channel and the National Trust for Historic Preservation co-sponsor this site, which lists annually "America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places." In 1996, Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas was added to the list. A National Historic Landmark, Central High School is not only noteworthy for its dramatic place in Civil Rights History, but because of the building itself. When built in 1927, the school was the largest and most expensive ever constructed in the United States. Since the designation of the property as one of America’s most endangered historic sites, a grassroots effort in Little Rock formed to not only protect the building itself, but to also create a museum on adjacent property to commemorate the Little Rock contribution to the Civil Rights Movement.
• Design: The site is largely text-driven, although it does include a photo of the school and audio clips of Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine, and the current principal of Central High School, Brenda James. As a combined effort of the History Channel and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the site offers links to both history and preservation venues.
• Audience: Although all the information contained in the site is accessible for general audiences, it will appeal most to those individuals who have an interest in the history of Central High School, in particular, and historic preservation, in general.