The Fuzzy Fifties
Jack Miles’ article about the 1950s was quite interesting, especially so was his account of a nonexistent incident involving National Guardsmen (with fixed bayonets) barring a little black girl from her Little Rock High School.
Of course, it’s much more interesting if the National Guard bars, rather than protects, blacks; but shouldn’t Miles’ appeal to realism have more contact with reality?
For the record:
12:00 a.m. Nov. 15, 1987 Imperfections
Los Angeles Times Sunday November 15, 1987 Home Edition Calendar Page 119 Calendar Desk 3 inches; 98 words Type of Material: Correction
A letter writer claimed last week that Times book editor Jack Miles’ incorrectly described an incident that occurred during the integration of Central High School in Little Rock in 1957. In his article “Please, Don’t Bring Back the ‘50s” Nov. 1, Miles said he remembered seeing images of a “little black girl barred from her Little Rock high school by National Guardsmen with fixed bayonets.” The letter writer said the National Guard was protecting blacks, not barring the girl’s entrance. In fact, there were two sets of troops: Arkansas Gov. Orval Faubus first used Arkansas National Guardsmen to prevent integration and President Eisenhower then sent in federal troops to enforce it.
LONY WESTERN
Redondo Beach
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
