Orval Faubus

Orval Eugene Faubus (7 January 1910–14 December 1994) was a six-term Democratic Governor of Arkansas, famous for his 1957 stand against integration of Little Rock, Arkansas schools in defiance of U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

Final chapter

In the 1970s Faubus's financial position had deteriorated to the point where he was forced to accept a position as a bank teller at a local Huntsville, Arkansas bank and sell his home. Yet in spite of his demogoguery of the race issue, Faubus retains a grudging admiration among many, particularly older, Arkansans for his defiance of President Eisenhower and the national press. The virtual re-segregation of Little Rock's public schools, which in 2004 are 70 to 90 percent black in spite of 50 years of litigation and massive busing costing hundreds of millions of dollars, has led many to question the efficacy of the Brown decision. Central High School, while formally integrated with some 30% white enrollment, operates a 2-tier curriculum, with 95% of the white students in advanced math, English, science and language classes which, in some cases, are all white. Critics point out that Little Rock housing, like that in many U.S. cities, remains largely divided along racial lines. However, others argue that the present situation is due to economics and personal choice, not to legal barriers, which Brown struck down, and to that extent Brown has been successful. No elected official, they say, would today dare imitate Faubus by using the police power of a state to deny public services to members of any minority.

Related Topics:
1970s - Huntsville, Arkansas - 2004

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Faubus died of cancer on 14 December 1994.

Related Topics:
Cancer - 14 December - 1994

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