Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals Book Analysis

In the memoir, Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals a group of nine Black students became the first to integrate a white high school in 1957 after the ruling of Brown v. Board of Education. One of the nine, Melba was faced with many hardships but stayed persistent for a better education. Melba’s courage helped her to fight tirelessly against the discriminatory people who opposed the integration of Central High. 

Melba’s brave soul allowed her to be resilient throughout the acts of discrimination she  faced while integrating. On her first day, she walked into Central High, a place filled with judgment. When Melba got inside, the racist students taunted her as they exclaimed, “They’re in here! Oh, God, the ******* are in here!” and “They got in. I smell something….” “You ******* better turn around and go home.” (Beals 109). People in her neighborhood were frightened of what the segregationists would do to them while Melba was pushing the boundaries of racial equality. Although Melba suppressed by these segregationists she still showed up and did everything Mrs. Daisy Bates asked of her. Melba was nervous for interviews but was empowered by hearing Mr. Marshall speak to the news reporters. She never thought she would feel equal to any whites, but seeing the white and black news reporters working in unison gave her hope. She was startled when she was first asked a question but was even more shocked at her response, “We have a right to go to that school,”. Melba was beginning to realize that she deserved to go to Central High, “Pride welled up inside me, and for the first time, I knew that working for integration was the right thing for me to be doing.” (Beals 88). Melba strived to receive the best education she could and was willing to push through adversity to achieve that. Melba and the rest of the Little Rock Nine’s admirable perseverance throughout integrating Central High has paved the way for a more inclusive education.

Melba Patillo Beals made history when she began her fight towards integration, as she  often faced segregationist students who terrorized her. While Melba walked out from the cafeteria, she met with a boy named Andy who had been threatening her at school. Melba writes an entry in her diary about an occurrence she had earlier in the day, she wrote: “Andy again. He's really beginning to frighten me”…… “stepping on my toes”... He shoved me backward and then held a wrench up to my face.” When Melba gets the chance she runs, he yells to her “Just think all night about what I’m gonna do to you tomorrow,” (246)(add analysis) From the beginning Melba was told to not react towards the students who terrorized her, but slowly Melba grew tired of it and showed them no matter how many times they knocked her down she would fight back. Girls followed Melba to the showers after gym, and forced her into hot water burning Melba's skin. She reacts quickly and pushes one of the girls in with her making her feel the pain they made her feel. Melba explains she had “suddenly felt surging inside of (her)...(She) grabbed (her) attackers’ arms and pulled them in with (her).” She held them there and “let them feel (her) anger with (her) elbows,(and) (her) feet.(186)  While Melba fought tirelessly for a better education she stood with courage against the white supremacists who opposed integration at Central high.

The continuous harassment from these ill-minded people caused Melba and the rest of the Little Rock Nine to fight even harder to make change to the school systems. Schools now have changed drastically and will hopefully continue to change to become a more integrated and safe space for students to get the best education possible.