Minnijean Brown-Trickey

Overview

Minnijean Brown-Trickey born Little Rock, AR September 11, 1941. Civil rights activist. At age 16 one of Little Rock Nine who desegregated Central High School; expelled for calling girl "white trash" who hit her with her purse, and spilling chili onto floor in front of harassing boys; exiled during Vietnam War to Canada where she supported First Nation issues; Interior Dept. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Diversity under Clinton 1999-2001; Congressional Gold Medal 1999.

Quotations

"The general feeling was if she [Rosa Parks] could do it, we could do it. . . She was really a heroine to us. She was an ordinary woman and we were ordinary kids and it seems we had a relationship." ("Little Rock Nine member calls Parks an inspiration", Associated Press, Oct. 26, 2005; photo thirteen.org)