[6] Bates was an African-American journalist and state NAACP president who played a key role in bringing about, through the 1957 crisis, the integration of the school.

In 1927 at a cost of US$1.5 million, the city completed construction on the nation's largest and most expensive high school facility, which remains in use today.

At the time in Arkansas and other states across the South, public school educational facilities were legally racially segregated.

[5] This provoked a showdown between the Democrat Governor Orval Faubus and Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower that gained international attention.

[5] At nearby Camp Robinson, a hastily organized Task Force 153rd Infantry drew guardsmen from units all over the state.

As Melba Pattillo Beals, one of the nine students, wrote in her diary, "After three full days inside Central [High School], I know that integration is a much bigger word than I thought.

"[10] This event, watched by the nation and world, was the site of the first important test for the implementation of the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision of 1954.

Arkansas' governor Orval Faubus questioned the authority of the federal court system and the validity of desegregation.

The crisis at Little Rock's Central High School was the first fundamental test of the national resolve to enforce black civil rights in the face of massive resistance during the years following the Brown decision.

As to whether Eisenhower's specific actions to enforce integration violated the Posse Comitatus Act, the Supreme Court, in Cooper v. Aaron (1958), indirectly affirmed the legality of his conduct.

LRCHS biology teacher Susan Epperson agreed to be the plaintiff in a case challenging an Arkansas law forbidding the teaching of the theory of evolution by natural selection in the public schools.

The periodical is known for covering difficult aspects of student life, including eating disorders, drug use, and academic dishonesty.

[21][22][23][24][25] Since 2007, Central has been ranked nationally within the top 275 high schools based on the Challenge Index developed by The Washington Post.

[30] The Little Rock Central Band and Flag Line were selected to participate in the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Parade for Barack Obama.

The Tigers participate in baseball, basketball (boys/girls), bowling, competitive cheer, cross country, football, golf (boys/girls), soccer (boys/girls), softball, swimming & diving (boys/girls), tennis (boys/girls), track & field (boys/girls), volleyball, and wrestling.

[34] The visitor center for the site is located diagonally across the street from the school and across from the memorial dedicated by Michael Warrick, and opened in fall 2006.

It contains a captioned interpretive film on the Little Rock integration crisis, as well as multimedia exhibits on both that and the larger context of desegregation during the 20th century and the Civil Rights Movement.

Opposite the visitor center to the west is the Central High Commemorative Garden, which features nine trees and benches that honor the students.

Opposite the visitor center to the south is a historic Mobil gas station, which has been preserved in its appearance at the time of the crisis.