Extraordinary Photos From History Explained

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Making It Count

Bored Panda

Dorothy Counts is an American civil rights figure who was the first black girl to attend an all-white school in the US. This is a photo of her being teased and taunted by her white male classmates at Harry Harding High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dorothy Counts, nicknamed Dot, was dropped off on her first day of school by her dad — but their car was blocked from going closer to the front entrance. Along with them was a family friend by the name of Edwin Thompkins; he offered to escort Dot to the front of the school while her father parked the car. As Dot and Thompkins got out of the car and headed down the hill, the wife of an officer of the White Citizens council urged the boys to “keep her out” and implored the girls to “spit on her”. Dot walked past without reacting, but later told the press that people had thrown rocks at her, most of which landed at her feet. Students also formed walls but parted ways at the last minute to allow her to walk past. Dot suffered many other indignities and out of concern for her safety, her parents withdrew her from that school. She has however been a huge influence on the American Civil Rights Movement and in 2010, Harry Harding High School named their library after her.