Legacy Banquet to Feature One of Little Rock Nine

Assembly Event Welcomes Elizabeth Eckford

by Christi Campos

You may not know her by name, but you will more than likely recognize her high school photo. Elizabeth Eckford’s family did not have a phone, so she was the only one of a group of brave Black students who didn’t get the phone call that would have told her that, for her safety, she should not come to school on that first day of attempted desegregation at Central High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, on September 4, 1957.

So, she walked to school and found herself surrounded by armed National Guard troops, news media, and an angry mob of White students and parents yelling at her and blocking her way.

Eckford was one of the “Little Rock Nine.” Without the other eight, who would join her on future attempts to enter the school, she bravely walked through that angry crowd with grace and her head held high. The photo, taken by Will Counts, has been called the most iconic image of the Civil Rights Movement.

Eckford went on to become a civil rights activist. She has spent her life sharing her story in public and in the media.

The young woman yelling obscenities behind her in the photo, Hazel Bryan, appeared with Eckford decades later as guests of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Bryan told Oprah she had changed, but Oprah openly shared her skepticism of the reconciliation. Bryan accompanied Eckford on several other speaking engagements for two years before Eckford realized that her former schoolmate’s acts of reconciliation were not sincere, and they parted ways.

Regarding her attempts to reconcile with Bryan, Eckford has stated: “True reconciliation can occur only when we honestly acknowledge our painful, but shared past.” She has reflected on the original experience, saying, “Under extraordinary circumstances, ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”

Keynote Speaker

Despite her age, Eckford continues to speak out with her message. United Women in Faith feels truly blessed that Eckford will be joining us on the evening of Saturday, May 16, 2026, at Assembly in Indianapolis, sharing her legacy as our keynote speaker for the Legacy Banquet.

Other inspiring surprises await you at the 2026 Legacy Banquet, as well as celebration, entertainment, and the presentation of Legacy Awards to those who have gone the extra mile in ensuring our future by supporting The Legacy Endowment Fund.

Individual tickets to this special fundraising event can be purchased only through the Assembly registration portal, uwfaith.org/assembly. They will not be sold any other way or at the door.

Don’t miss out on this special celebration; get your ticket to the Legacy Banquet now, before it sells out. I can’t wait to see you there!

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Deaconess Christi Campos is United Women in Faith’s executive for Development and Donor Relations.