Which Arkansas governor called out the National Guard to prevent nine Black students from entering Central High School under federal court order?

• A. Dwight Eisenhower
• B. Rosa Parks
• C. Orval Faubus
• D. Little Rock Nine

Answer: (C)

This question tests how federal power was used to enforce desegregation in the face of state opposition. After a federal court ordered that nine Black students be admitted to Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, the governor, Orval Faubus, called out the Arkansas National Guard to block their entry, arguing it was needed to maintain order despite the court order. This act showed the clash between state authority and federal law during the push for civil rights.

Eventually, President Dwight D. Eisenhower stepped in, federalized the National Guard, and sent in federal troops to escort and protect the students as they entered the school, demonstrating that federal power can override state actions to uphold desegregation.

Rosa Parks is linked to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, and the Little Rock Nine refers to the students themselves, not the person who blocked entry. The key figure who ordered the block was Orval Faubus.