February 20, 1958

After a turbulent fall semester during the 1957 desegregation of Central High School and the departure of one of the Little Rock Nine, the Little Rock school board petitioned for the beginning date of integration to be postponed. The board later amended its petition to set the postponement date at January 1961, arguing that its plan for integration could not be implemented because of public opposition. The opposition moved to dismiss, arguing that the eight remaining African-American students had become vested in finishing their high school education at Central High.