thank you, beate sirota gordon, mills woman who has changed the world and continues to change the world for a more peaceful and just society. thank you. >> on september 25, 1957, nine african-american students face down a mob and helped integrate little rock's central high school. minnijean brown trickey was one of them. she spoke at the university of arkansas, talking about the civil rights struggles during her lifetime and what they mean to today's graduates. this is 15 minutes. >> faculty, staff, a i have asked if i would make people cry. i said this was not about me, this is about them. when i first guarded thinking k, i couldn't think of anything that had to do with a lot. i did not think i knew anything. my doctor reminded me using words that question my mental health that i might know something about the law. she reminded me i went to jail for sitting in. i may convicted tree hugger. [laughter] i have been known to sit in the front seat of a city bus. and the absolute worst, i took sips from the white water fountain when i was a little girl. [applause] i really am a criminal. but

we are going to hear from doctor beate sirota gordon. ough we're not bestowing an honorary degree, i think it is time for beate to have a pearl m. i will be the president to bestow a pearl m on beate sirota gordon. please come forward and bring us your words of wisdom. [applause] i am going to put this on your robe. >> thank you. [applause] board of trustees, faculty, graduating students, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor to have been invited to give the last commencement speech under the eye of a highly respected and beloved president. i think the committee that selected me for this honor was influenced by a mistake the state department made in 1945 when it issued me a passport so i could go to japan and worked at general macarthur's headquarters. on the application, there was a form that had a blank entitled occupation. i wrote down, research expert. [laughter] the state department left out the word research. [laughter] i ended up with my occupation listed as expert. [cheers] i know japan and the japanese language. i know resear