Civil rights pioneer discusses past
Campus Times
February 27, 1998
Dr. Terrence Roberts, co-chair of the master's in psychology program
at Antioch University in Los Angeles, addressed the La Verne community yesterday.
Dr. Roberts, who was one of the "Little Rock Nine," who helped
integrate public schools in America, listens to Dr. Richard Rose, assistant
professor of religion and philosophy, introduce him.
"Rebuilding society" was the primary speech emphasis delivered
yesterday morning in Founders Auditorium by former "Little Rock Nine"
member Dr. Terrence Roberts.
Dr. Roberts spoke of what he thinks must be done to battle racism. To
approach this goal, he said, "We need a strong chief executive that
can set a tone to attack the animal at core."
Remembering society's thoughts from the historic desegregation of Central
High School in Little Rock, Ark. in 1957, Roberts remembers the statement,
"If this goes forward there will be blood in the streets." He
was referring to the blood of the nine black students who volunteered to
desegregate Central High.
Desegregation was taking place at this school because Little Rock was
acting on the 1954 Supreme Court decision of Brown vs. Board of Education,
which allowed a young girl to attend a predominantly white school within
walking distance of her home.
Dr. Roberts volunteered to be a test-case student who would desegregate
a school that was close to his house. He said that other people had risked
their lives for blacks to even have the right to get an education.
Although Roberts would fight for desegregation again, he would not want
his children to have to go through it.
"I was 15 and had the opportunity to risk my life. My parents gave
me 100 percent support to go and 100 percent support if I chose not to go,"
he said. "I wanted to go. If I, along with others, risked my life,
maybe people would wake up."
Dr. Roberts described his first day of school. Instead of being scared
and worried, he said, "I wanted to look good. I wanted to show up ready,
but the students were just ready to rip out my liver."
While attending Central High School, Dr. Roberts said he regularly dealt
with hatred. He was hit by can openers, combination locks, and threatened
with switchblades and baseball bats. His textbooks were destroyed so he
would have to share with people in his classes. A white girl in his biology
class shared her textbook with him. Students made that observation and later
chased and harassed the student who had attempted to befriend Dr. Roberts.
Another remedy he noted was the need to understand and respect our differences.
"Differences have been made negative, but instead differences should
be highlighted as a welcome," Dr. Roberts said. "Since we are
such a multicultural society, we have to work hard to make a multicultural
life."
Dr. Roberts is opposed to any type of movement that attempts to separate
people.
Dr. Roberts does not believe that the battle with racism will come to
an end anytime soon.
"There are things that are part of our agenda as we move into the
21st century: commitments, promises and reviewing tasks. We must rebuild
our society," said Dr. Roberts.
"By the year 3050 we may be getting to it. I am not unrealistic
about the pace at which we will approach this." he said.
