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Elizabeth Eckford tells Knox students, ‘ordinary people can do extraordinary things’

Elizabeth Eckford is known for the poise and courage she showed in the face of racist mobs at a seminal moment in U.S. history.Eckford was one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of black high school students that desegregated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957 following the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

She also attended Knox College for a year in 1959, but as of today she finally holds a degree from a school she says it’s a “privilege to go to.”

Eckford was bestowed with an honorary doctorate in humane letters just prior to her delivering Knox’s 2018-19 Convocation address, kicking off the school year.

In her remarks she talked about the power of education, her upbringing in a strict southern family and her difficulty dealing with PTSD.

She urged students to seek out therapy and help if they are struggling with similar issues.

Eckford didn’t realize she had PTSD for decades and for a long time struggled to talk about her experiences at Central High School where she says she went “through hell every day.”

“Most of the movement was accomplished by ordinary people but ordinary people can do extraordinary things,” Eckford says. “You don’t know what you can do until you have been tested.”

When asked how finally receiving a degree from Knox makes her feel Eckford replied, “special”

Eckford just this year released her first book that tells the story and backstory of the Little Rock Nine.

It’s entitled, “The Worst First Day: Bullied While Desegregating Central High” and is now available on Amazon.

There were also awards given out for outstanding faculty, staff and students.

Assistant Professor of History Danielle Fatkin and Professor of English Robert Smith were recipients of the Phillip Green Wright Prize for distinguished teaching.

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