Moment #20: The Little Rock Nine Face Their Tormentors

Aired: 08/28/2012

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About This Episode
It was a historic reunion four decades in the making, and TV Guide Magazine chose it as their favorite, most heartfelt Oprah Show reunion. In 1957, nine African-American teenagers became the first to integrate Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, after the Supreme Court struck down school segregation. They arrived on the first day of school to crowds of protestors and troops of National Guard members ordered to block their entry by the governor. Once inside, they faced more hurdles from other students.

On January 15, 1996, seven of the Little Rock Nine reunited on The Oprah Winfrey Show and came face-to-face with some of the white students who tormented them. It became a show about forgiveness and one that Oprah calls "groundbreaking."