Efforts are ongoing to restore the former home of a member of the Little Rock Nine. Renovations to the 1,400 square foot home once lived in by Ernest Green moved forward Monday with a siding removal workshop.
Green was among the first nine Black students to desegregate Little Rock Central in 1957 and was the first of the group to graduate from the school.
The workshop was led by historic preservationist Bob Yapp, who oversaw student workers as they yanked decades-old aluminum siding off the house to expose the hard wood beneath.
“It's trendy,” Yapp said. “If you want to be cool and you want to be trendy, then in the 70s you put on real white aluminum siding.” Under the siding were sheets of gold paper stuck to the house with dozens of staples. The workers removed the old staples all morning.
Patricia Blick, executive director of the Quapaw Quarter Association, says the one-story home has been perfect for teaching how to preserve old houses.
“The siding is in pretty good shape,” she said. “It's going to need some attention.”
Blick believes the house is important to the local community, but also values renovating it because its small size works well to teach students about historical preservation.
“It checked all the boxes,” she said.
Blick said it was relatively easy to get financial support for the project which was paid for through preservation grants. One grant is through the National Trust of Historic Preservation.
Green's Nephew, Scott Green, will be living in the home when it is completed.
“It will still be the family home,” he said.
Green says his uncle is supportive of the renovation project. He hopes to paint the house a blue-gray with a red statement door and cream trim.
