Final answer:
The Little Rock Nine faced severe opposition and violence from a white mob when attempting to integrate Central High School, leading to intervention by President Eisenhower who sent federal troops to enforce the desegregation order and protect the students.
Step-by-step explanation:
Little Rock Nine and Central High School Integration
In 1957, the Little Rock Nine made history by integrating Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. These nine African-American students faced extreme hostility and resistance from a white mob and were initially prevented from entering the school by the Arkansas National Guard, ordered by Governor Orval Faubus.
President Dwight Eisenhower intervened by federalizing the National Guard and sending the 101st Airborne Division to escort the nine students.
The move to federalize the National Guard took it out of Governor Faubus's control, effectively countering his efforts to prevent the court-ordered integration. During the school year, the students were subjected to continuous verbal and physical assault but persisted in their education with protection from federal troops.
Despite successfully finishing the school year, the conflict continued when Governor Faubus closed all Little Rock public schools the following year to prevent further integration. It was not until the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the schools to reopen that desegregation efforts could proceed.
This event was a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating federal commitment to desegregation and highlighting the tensions between state and federal powers.