HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBY BRIDGES!
A BRIEF HISTORY ON RUBY:
At 6 years old, Ruby Bridges was one of the first black children to integrate an all white school in the south. White law enforcement officials had to guard her comings and goings. Her father wasn't so sure about Ruby going to the school. But her mother, Lucille, was sure in 1960 that Ruby would get a better education. And her mother prevailed.
But the biggest thing going on the day that Ruby went to that all white school was making the Supreme Court decision in Brown v The Board of Education a reality in the South.
Every time I see this photograph of Ruby Bridges (or the famous painting, "The Problem We All Live With" by Norman Rockwell) I don't think about how brave she was, I think about her parents.
I wonder what they imagined and felt before they set their child on this path. I wonder about the gap between what they imagined and what they saw, if they saw scenes like this photograph at all. Then I imagine the horror at the gap between their imaginings and reality.
A BRIEF HISTORY ON RUBY:
At 6 years old, Ruby Bridges was one of the first black children to integrate an all white school in the south. White law enforcement officials had to guard her comings and goings. Her father wasn't so sure about Ruby going to the school. But her mother, Lucille, was sure in 1960 that Ruby would get a better education. And her mother prevailed.
But the biggest thing going on the day that Ruby went to that all white school was making the Supreme Court decision in Brown v The Board of Education a reality in the South.
Every time I see this photograph of Ruby Bridges (or the famous painting, "The Problem We All Live With" by Norman Rockwell) I don't think about how brave she was, I think about her parents.
I wonder what they imagined and felt before they set their child on this path. I wonder about the gap between what they imagined and what they saw, if they saw scenes like this photograph at all. Then I imagine the horror at the gap between their imaginings and reality.
I can't imagine sending her again the next day.
I surely can't imagine sending her the day after that. A white woman had threatened to poison Ruby by then. (read link below)
I’m glad her parents had a faith stronger than mine because I can’t imagine feeling that strongly about an idea or a dream, not even the personal dream of her getting a good education - not strong enough to send her out there. I don't think I would have cared who promised what.
People made so many sacrifices for us to be where we are now. As hard as it gets sometimes. Now is nothing compared to then.
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I surely can't imagine sending her the day after that. A white woman had threatened to poison Ruby by then. (read link below)
I’m glad her parents had a faith stronger than mine because I can’t imagine feeling that strongly about an idea or a dream, not even the personal dream of her getting a good education - not strong enough to send her out there. I don't think I would have cared who promised what.
People made so many sacrifices for us to be where we are now. As hard as it gets sometimes. Now is nothing compared to then.
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A new imagining for me!
I wonder if the men have guns under their jackets. They have to have right? They were Federal Marshals. I don't know why I never thought of that before.
I wonder if the men have guns under their jackets. They have to have right? They were Federal Marshals. I don't know why I never thought of that before.
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