Melba Pattillo Beals

ABOUT MELBA PATTILLO BEALS

Journalist, educator, and historical figure who was a member of the Little Rock Nine. She and eight other high school girls transferred to Central High School to be the first Black students to enroll due to segregation laws. The girls became iconic in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

She grew up in a family that greatly valued education, her mother was one of the first Black graduates of the University of Arkansas . When Melba realized she wasn't getting the same quality of education at her all black school, her parents supported her in becoming one of the Little Rock Nine.

She earned a bachelors degree at San Francisco State University , a masters at Columbia University , and her PhD at the University of San Francisco .

She had one daughter with John Beals named Kelli. After their divorce, she adopted twin sons named Matthew and Evan.

Elizabeth Eckford was also a member of the Little Rock Nine.