Final answer:
Elizabeth Eckford went alone to Central High School because she lacked a telephone to receive the plan for a safe escorted entry amid racial integration efforts. Faced with a hostile crowd, her solitary walk became iconic in the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Elizabeth Eckford went alone on her first day to Central High School because she did not have a telephone and was not notified of the plan organized by local ministers to escort the nine students for their safety. The other eight students with telephones were informed about the arrangements and did not face the crowd alone. When Eckford set out for school, she was confronted by an abusive crowd of students and adults, and her ordeal became a significant event in the American Civil Rights Movement.