Carlotta LaNier
Inductee Name
Carlotta LaNier
Place of Birth
Arkansas
Date of Birth
1942
Year Inducted
2004
Category
Activism & Advocacy
Sponsor
University of Northern Colorado
Impact
Nationwide
In 1957, at age 14, Carlotta Walls LaNier and eight other students integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. This act of courage and defiance became the catalyst for change in the American educational system. The Little Rock Nine, as they would eventually be called, became ‘foot soldiers’ for freedom. In 1968 LaNier earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado and accepted a position at the Denver YWCA. Married with two children, she founded her own real estate company, and worked for 30 years as a real estate broker, currently works for Brokers Guild Homes. In 1999, members of Congress and former President Bill Clinton bestowed upon LaNier and the other members of the Little Rock Nine the nation’s highest civilian award, the Congressional Gold Medal, for their sacrifice and contribution to the cause of equality.
