Little Rock Central High School, Public high school in Little Rock, United States
Little Rock Central High School is a Gothic Revival public high school in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. The school building stretches across two city blocks and contains roughly 14,000 square meters of floor space with more than 100 classrooms inside.
The school first opened its doors in 1927 as the largest and most expensive high school south of the capital city Washington. Three decades later, nine African American students enrolled, sparking nationwide protests and requiring deployment of federal troops to protect their attendance.
The institution bears the name of Arkansas's capital city and continues to operate as a working high school with around 2,000 students enrolled. Visitors can walk past the original front steps where nine teenagers climbed in September 1957, and the interior retains many period details from that era.
A visitor center across the street offers exhibits and information about the events of 1957. Guided tours of the school grounds can be arranged through the National Park Service and take place only on school days.
Four stone statues at the main entrance embody values such as ambition, personality, opportunity, and preparation, carved into the Gothic facade. These figures date from the original construction phase and together form a symbolic program for the meaning of education.
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