Why did Faubus close schools from 1958-1959?

Orval Faubus, the governor of Arkansas, closed Little Rock's public schools from September 1958 to September 1959 to prevent the integration of Central High School. He defied the Supreme Court's decision in *Brown v. Board of Education*, which mandated desegregation of public schools. While he claimed it was to maintain order and prevent violence, it was widely seen as a direct attempt to circumvent the law and avoid racial integration.