[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Page 28667]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1715
2007 COMMEMORATIVE COINS: LITTLE ROCK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DESEGREGATION 
                    AND JAMESTOWN 400TH ANNIVERSARY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Snyder) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SNYDER. Mr. Speaker, passion for collecting things as children is 
something that we have all gone through. Each of us has perhaps 
collected coins or stamps. Not everyone collects stamps, not everyone 
collects coins, not everyone collects insects; but all of us appreciate 
the value of courage. And I rise tonight, Mr. Speaker, to talk about a 
coin that is now available for sale on the usmint.gov Web site, the 
commemorative coin honoring the bravery and courage and great public 
service of the Little Rock Nine, the nine African American students 
that desegregated Little Rock Central High School in 1957. This year is 
the 50th anniversary of their service.
  This side of the coin depicts a group of school children going to 
school with no other purpose than to get educated and act like kids. We 
sometimes forget that the Little Rock Nine 50 years ago were kids. They 
were children, demonstrating great bravery in trying to overcome the 
obstacles imposed by adults. And the coin on this side says 
``Liberty.'' The nine stars are to represent the Little Rock Nine. And 
it says: ``Desegregation in Education, 2007, In God We Trust.''
  The reverse side of this coin, it is a $1 coin, depicts Little Rock 
Central High School itself. It is still considered one of the Nation's 
most beautiful high schools.
  As you know, Mr. Speaker, each year the Congress may authorize two 
commemorative coins. One of the coins that we authorize for sale during 
calendar year 2007 is this coin honoring the 50th anniversary of the 
desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. The other one was by 
the late Representative Jo Ann Davis of Virginia honoring the 400th 
anniversary of the founding of Jamestown, our beloved colleague Jo Ann 
Davis, who recently passed away. Both coins tell a wonderful story.
  I encourage the Members and encourage the public to go to the 
usmint.gov Web site and consider purchasing these coins as holiday 
presents, as a way to pass on the legacy of the story of the bravery of 
these nine students desegregating Little Rock Central High School.
  One of the reasons I am interested in these coins being purchased at 
the usmint.gov Web site is because $10 of every coin purchased goes to 
support telling that story of Little Rock Central High School. It is 
now a national historic site. The school is still functioning, one of 
the great robust high schools in Arkansas. There is a national park 
visitors center there. The gas station that was there in 1957 has been 
restored across the street. So many ways to this story, but they can 
always use more money. There have been about 160,000 or so of these 
coins sold, and $10 of every coin goes to help tell this story.
  And this is a beautiful coin. When you see the coin itself, it's just 
exquisite in the detail. It is a silver dollar and they make wonderful 
presents. But, more importantly, they make a wonderful way of telling 
the legacy and telling the story of the bravery and courage of these 
nine children that are now adults, in their 60s, who overcame the 
prejudices that involved segregation of schools in 1957.

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