Member of Little Rock Nine speaks on experiences

Terrence Roberts boldly told an audience of about 150 students and faculty Thursday night about his historical experience as one of the Little Rock Nine, the first black students in 1957 to attend an integrated school. \nIn the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Grand Hall, Roberts talked about how the Little Rock Nine were never truly accepted by teachers and students at Little Rock Central High School and how racism and segregation still exists.\nIU Bloomington Black History Month Committee Chair David Hummons said Roberts told him before the lecture why he became part of the group of students.\n“We were worried about our survival,” Roberts said. “We wanted to pursue excellence (and) we knew there would be a better day.”\nRoberts said he had always questioned the rules of society, but was told to ignore the social conditions he grew up in. At 13, Roberts realized after being stared down in a white restaurant that there was no running away from the consequences of being black at that time.\nHe said he then joined the Little Rock Nine, which originally \nconsisted of 151 students but was later advised to turn into a smaller group. \nRoberts took the audience back to when he first went to high school. He sarcastically told the audience he thought the National Guard was there to help them, but instead was there to keep them from going to school. He also reflected on all the hatred he felt as he was just trying to get in the school.\nEventually, Roberts said, the army was called in to help the students get to school.\nRoberts said that although a lot of people think the other students eventually accepted the Little Rock Nine, they actually did not. Roberts described how each student had individual bullies and recalled his own experience with bullying. \nThe situation escalated to a wrestling match between him and all the other students in his class who wanted to fight him, he said. However, the gym teacher broke it apart just as Roberts was winning. After that, a group of students were waiting for him outside of the school. What could have turned into a potentially harmful situation ended when one of the bullies felt sorry for Roberts and left.\nRoberts said he comprehended that he had to learn to love everyone that hated him.\nAfter his lecture, Roberts opened up the floor to questions from audience members. The topics varied widely from what he would do differently to the Jena Six to Barack Obama. \nRoberts said he would not change anything and would still go back to do it today if “it had to be done.” \nRoberts also said he is not surprised by social issues, such as the Jena Six, that are still occurring.\n“I understand where I live,” Roberts said. “Jena Six was no shock to me.”\nRoberts told the crowd they should not accept racism and segregation but should realize it still exists. He then encouraged people to serve as models of behavior if they expect others to change.\nJunior Brian Goodspeed agreed with Roberts about the current social status of the U.S.\n“(Racism) is an unfortunate reality, but I agree with him,” Goodspeed said. \nEric Love, director of the Office of Diversity Education, said he thought the event went well, especially because Roberts came to IU last year but was not able to speak due to weather conditions.\n“It was such a wealth of information,” Love said. “Not just his historical information, but his commentary on current issues was absolutely amazing.”