jennifer browne

elizabeth eckford turns 85 today. at 15 she walked up to an all-white high school alone on her first day, because her family had no phone and she never heard the other eight students were meeting somewhere else. a mob screamed at her and armed soldiers blocked the door. she got inside later that month. the next year the governor closed every high school in little rock to stop integration, so she never graduated from central. she finished her diploma by mail and night classes, earned a college degree and served five years in the army. in 1999 she received the congressional gold medal. she walked up first and alone, and that door has stayed open for everyone since.