The Little Rock Nine were a group of nine African American students who were the first to integrate Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957. The school had been segregated since its founding in 1927, and the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 declared segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Despite this ruling, the Little Rock School Board voted to delay the integration of Central High School. On September 4, 1957, the nine students – Ernest Green, Elizabeth Eckford, Jefferson Thomas, Terrence Roberts, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Minnijean Brown, Gloria Ray Karlmark, Thelma Mothershed, and Melba Patillo Beals – attempted to enter the school but were met with a violent mob and the Arkansas National Guard, called in by Governor Orval Faubus to block their entry.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower eventually intervened by federalizing the National Guard and sending in troops from the 101st Airborne Division to escort the students safely into the school on September 25, 1957. The Little Rock Nine faced ongoing harassment, discrimination, and violence throughout the school year, but their bravery and perseverance paved the way for desegregation in schools across the country.

The Little Rock Nine's courageous stand against segregation is a significant moment in the Civil Rights Movement and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice in America.