ted and mistreated they could have not gone back. They put up a fight, as far as integration goes- they would not take no for an answer.If I were to put myself in Melba’s position I would not have made it as far as being able to write a book about the situation. I do have to commend her on everything she has done and been through. I am not the type of person, who believes in giving up, but when my life is in jeopardy then it is a different story. She was put through many hardships, that at the age of fifteen she should not have been. Just hearing people say, “ We’re going to… we don’t want those niggers in our school”. Just hearing that kind of definitive statement and hearing what they were willing to do. The heaviness of the mood was to her the first thing that made the site of her heart hurt, made her feelings sad, made her want to cry—the thought that someone would kill her, the treat of killing. The actual feeling of physical violence was the first day she went to school. All this was hardship Melba faced during the act of desegregation every night this young lady went to sleep with fear that she might get killed in the middle of the night. Her grandmother would sit in a rocking chair downstairs with a riffle in her lap to protect the family. All times of the day the family had to answer the phone to threats. At the age of fifteen most would have pulled out, but not this young lady. If it were not for the support of her family (especially her grandmother), and Danny (from the 101st Airborne Division). Her grandmother gave her strength and courage to push her on. She told her that she was a warrior on the battlefield for the Lord. When Melba had thoughts of discouragement, it was her grandmother that gave her the will to keep going. And at the end she would be happy she went through with all this. Danny was the soldier that was put in charge of Melba’s safety while in Central High Scho...
