Patricia Evans and the Integration of Little Rock Central High School
- Patricia Newby and her husband, James, both members of the class of 1970, have established an endowment at Cal State Long Beach to provide financial support for students...
- The contribution stems from Newby's own experiences with systemic barriers and financial instability during her pursuit of higher education.
- Newby's path to a degree was marked by significant economic struggle during her time as an undergraduate at Cal State LA.
Patricia Newby and her husband, James, both members of the class of 1970, have established an endowment at Cal State Long Beach to provide financial support for students and advance urban education. The gift is designed to fund the Student Emergency Fund and the Teachers for Urban Schools Initiative within the university’s College of Education.
The contribution stems from Newby’s own experiences with systemic barriers and financial instability during her pursuit of higher education. Newby stated that there are those who just can’t get over the line, because of finances
, and expressed a desire for students to recognize the importance of working with underserved populations and in inner-city programs.
Overcoming Financial Hardship in Higher Education
Newby’s path to a degree was marked by significant economic struggle during her time as an undergraduate at Cal State LA. While completing her student teaching and taking classes, she faced a lack of funds for basic necessities, including food, transportation, and rent.
The situation became critical when Newby fell ill, forcing her to make difficult decisions about her priorities. She noted that she did not want to abandon her education despite the circumstances.
When I was doing my student teaching, I didn’t have the money to pay rent, buy food, pay for transportation — and I was taking classes. I got ill, and I had to stop something. I didn’t want to give up my education.
Patricia Newby
Newby was able to continue her studies and graduate with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education after receiving an emergency grant. She credited this financial assistance as the decisive factor in her ability to finish her degree, stating that the emergency money made a difference, because I didn’t know whether I would graduate or not
.
Following her undergraduate studies, Newby earned a master’s degree in education from Cal State Long Beach. This academic foundation supported a four-decade career in the education sector, during which she became the first female superintendent of Grand Rapids Public Schools in Michigan.
Early Struggles with Segregation
Newby’s challenges with educational access began long before her college years in Southern California. In 1956, while in the 11th grade, Patricia Evans (now Newby) attempted to enroll in Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.
In January 1956, Evans and a small group of other African American students met with Virgil Blossom, the superintendent of the Little Rock School District. Despite this effort, they were denied entry to Central High School, an event that served as a clear instance of school segregation during a period of transition in the American South.
The struggle was documented in a Life magazine photograph published on February 6, 1956, which featured Evans in a white shirt as part of the group of students facing exclusion from the high school.
This early experience with institutional discrimination and the subsequent financial hurdles she faced in college informed the purpose of the endowment. Newby indicated that her goal is to ensure that current students do not have to endure similar hardships to obtain their degrees.
I don’t think any student should have to go through that.
Patricia Newby
The endowment now serves as a lifeline for students at Cal State Long Beach who face similar financial crises, mirroring the emergency support that Newby received during her own undergraduate years.