Warriors Survive

"I wanted to turn and run away, but I thought about what Danny had said: "Warriors Survive."

The teenagers chosen to integrate Central High were warriors. They had the courage to face the mobs and the strength to endure torment. They made a commitment and made the sacrifices to see it through to the end. They were fighting the war of equality and they risked their lives every day to win. Warriors fight for a cause and refuse to give up and these teenage warriors did not give up, they survived.

Day after day these children faced torture within the wall of their school. While they did not physically fight back it took an incredible amount of strength to endure the abuse and insults every day. Their bodies were burned by acid, scalding water and fire and bruised by kicks, punches, shoves and falls. They were constantly fearing for their lives and trying to keep one step ahead of their attackers. The mental fatigue alone would have been enough for most teens to give up but these warriors kept on fighting.

“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear (Ambrose Redmoon)." Melba, and the other teenagers that integrated Central High, had an enormous amount of courage. Courage is what made them walk through those doors every day and make the trek down the treacherous halls. Courage granted Melba the power to look her attacker in the eye and say “thank you”. Courage gave them the power to get their sore, battered bodies out of bed every day. Although they were terrified these teens knew that their cause was too important to let fear get in the way. They faced their fear everyday like warriors going into battle.

They sacrificed things that a teen should never have to sacrifice. After Ernie earned his diploma Melba says, “The newspapers said Ernie’s diploma cost taxpayers half a million dollars. Of course, we knew it cost all of us much, much more than that. It cost us our innocence and a precious year of our teenage lives (216).”  When Melba first signed up to go to Central High I don’t think she realized what she was getting herself into. “As I signed my name on the paper they passed around, I thought about all those times I’d gone past Central High, wanting to see inside (19).” She started out as a child wanting a little adventure but she soon realized that her signature on that piece of paper was more than just one child’s choice it was a stand for equality and it would affect everyone. She realized that she was an ambassador for her people and she couldn’t let them down. In the end when link tries to convince her to leave she says, “I can’t leave. I have to stay here and go back to Central…Everything depends on it (216).” Melba recognizes in the end that her decision is not a choice that can be taken lightly it is a commitment and she has to see it through to the end.  

These teenagers were indeed warriors. Their strength and courage is unquestionable. They faced the possibility of death everyday but yet they did not waver in their commitment to their cause. The warriors of Central High survived and their sacrifices allowed their people to make huge strides toward equality.