The Ernest Green Story

Plot

The movie begins with Ernest Green describing how on his morning ride to Horace Mann, the school for African-Americans, he would pass Little Rock Central High School, which would soon open its doors to nine African-American students. In Ernest's neighborhood, his best friend Marcus suggests Ernest can change the world by becoming class president at the integrated Central High. Ernest, worried about the risks, recalls Crispus Attucks, saying "the first to defy is the first to die.

Marcus persuades him by mentioning the school's luxurious facilities, including the lab, and wonders what George Washington Carver could have achieved there. At dinner, Ernest's family, including his wise grandfather, supports his decision. Governor Faubus vows to stop integration. Ernest meets the other eight students and NAACP member Daisy Bates, who explain that many parents were concerned.

They meet the principal and counselors, and Ernest, the only senior, is seen as a natural leader. The principal restricts the Nine from extracurricular activities. When Ernest's elderly neighbor expresses concern after seeing him in the newspaper, his grandfather reminds her that Ernest is making a bold move to change the world.