Listening to a radio interview right now with Melba Patillo Beals, one of the Little Rock Nine. She mentions several occassions where mobs nearly lynched them. Probably the closest call was the first day (Sept. 4, 1957) when a mob chased her with ropes, intending to lynch her and her mother. They were very nearly caught.
At the same time, Elizabeth Eckford was alone in the middle of a mob at the front of the school (the others arrived as a group at the back of the school, Eckford's family didn't have a phone and hadn't gotten the message) that was yelling things like "drag her over this tree!" and "let's take care of that n*****!"
So, what happens if the mob catches Melba and her mother, and lynches them and then Elizabeth Eckford?
The press was there and this is going to really blowup badly.
I could see a massacre or even a repeat of the Red Summer of 1919.
At the same time, Elizabeth Eckford was alone in the middle of a mob at the front of the school (the others arrived as a group at the back of the school, Eckford's family didn't have a phone and hadn't gotten the message) that was yelling things like "drag her over this tree!" and "let's take care of that n*****!"
So, what happens if the mob catches Melba and her mother, and lynches them and then Elizabeth Eckford?
The press was there and this is going to really blowup badly.
I could see a massacre or even a repeat of the Red Summer of 1919.
