Daisy Bates: African-American Journalist
Daisy Bates was an African American civil rights activist, publisher, journalist, and lecturer who played an important role in the Little Rock Integration Crisis of 1957. Daisy Bates was born November 11, 1914 in Huttig, Arkansas to her parents, Hezekiah and Sarah Gatson.
When she was just three years old, her mother was a victim of a hate crime in which she was sexually assaulted and murdered by three white men. After her mother’s death, her father left and from that day on, Daisy never seen him again. The death of her biological mother left not only an emotional imprint on her but a mental one as well. She was then adopted by Orlee and Susie Smith. Sarah’s death forced young Daisy to confront racism at an early age and was one of the reasons why she pushed herself to dedicate her life to ending racial injustice.
At just fifteen, Bates met her future husband Lucius Christopher Bates, often referred to as L.C. Bates. He was 25 at the time. The couple began traveling together throughout the South. Daisy and L.C. settled in Little Rock, Arkansas, just 2 ½ hours from where Daisy was born. There they started their own newspaper, The Arkansas Weekly, which was one of the few African American newspapers dedicated to the Civil Rights Movement. The Arkansas Weekly was circulated state wide. Mrs. Bates not only worked as an editor, but also contributed articles regularly.
For many years, Daisy served as the President of the Arkansas chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Her work with the NAACP not only changed the Civil Rights Movement but also made Bates a household name.
In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled segregated schools unconstitutional. After the Supreme Court’s ruling, Bates began gathering black students to enroll at all white schools. The white schools frequently refused to let the black students attend. Bates took matters into her own hands and formed the Little Rock Nine. Due to Bates’ role in the integration, she was awarded the Medal of Freedom in 1999. Later that same year, Daisy Bates died at 84 on November 4th, just a week before her birthday due to health issues.
Milan Jefferson School