Meeting one of 9 legends

As someone who strives to instill self empowerment into the students that I teach, it was a great honor for me to learn that our guest speaker at our 2010 graduation would be Minniejean Brown Trickey.
Minniejean Brown is a member of the "Little Rock Nine". This was a group of African-American students who were enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957. On their first day of school, troops from the Arkansas National Guard would not let them enter the school and they were followed by mobs making threats to lynch.
To make sure that the students completed a successful day of school, President Eisenhower sent the 101st Airborne Division to Little Rock. Each student had their own patroller to walk with them to school and during school, but the mob still beat them. After a few weeks, the patrollers left and the nine students had to protect themselves.
I was honored and pleased to hear Mrs. Brown- Trickey speak to our first graduating class. She urged each of them and us to rise against adversity, set your sights to your dreams and do not let anyone or anything prevent you from reaching your goals and your potential. It was very moving and inspiring to learn of her story and to hear her speak.