A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School
Carlotta Walls LaNier
A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School
Carlotta Walls LaNier · 2024
Banned in 1 country
About this book
“A searing and emotionally gripping account of a young black girl growing up to become a strong black woman during the most difficult time of racial segregation.”—Professor Charles Ogletree, Harvard Law School “Provides important context for an important moment in America’s history.”—Associated Press When fourteen-year-old Carlotta Walls walked up the stairs of Little Rock Central High School on September 25, 1957, she and eight other black students only wanted to make it to class. But the journey of the “Little Rock Nine,” as they came to be known, would lead the nation on an even longer and much more turbulent path, one that would challenge prevailing attitudes, break down barriers, and forever change the landscape of America. For Carlotta and the eight other children, simply getting through the door of this admired academic institution involved angry mobs, racist elected officials, and intervention by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was forced to send in the 101st Airborne to escort the Nine into the building. But entry was simply the first of many trials. Breaking her silence at last and sharing her story for the first time, Carlotta Walls has written an engrossing memoir that is a testament not only to the power of a single person to make a difference but also to the sacrifices made by families and communities that found themselves a part of history.
Why it was banned
Reported as placed on the not-approved classroom list in Marietta City Schools, Georgia, alongside other civil-rights texts.
Censorship history
In 2024, "A Mighty Long Way: My Journey to Justice at Little Rock Central High School" was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States, primarily due to its themes of race and colonialism. This ban reflects a broader trend of challenges against educational materials that address racial issues, often initiated by local parent-teacher associations and school boards. Specific outcomes of these challenges have varied, with some districts upholding the bans while others have faced ongoing disputes regarding the book's inclusion in curricula.
Bans
| Country | Year | Reasons |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 2024 | Racial |