A World in Pictures

Pictured in this photograph, Ruby Bridges, a confident, unashamed six year-old, marches into her first day of school in an all white setting. She is escorted by policemen. Ruby Bridges was the first ever African American child to attend a school created for whites. November 14, 1960 marks the start of integrated schools in the United States.  I believe that this day should be treasured, and that Bridges should be looked at as an American heroine.

"She showed a lot of courage. She never cried. She didn't whimper. She just marched along like a little soldier, and we're all very very proud of her," noted the former United States Deputy Marshal, Charles Burks. This little girl changed our country. Ruby Bridges had more confidence than a first grader could ever bear. Her family, especially her father, was at first reluctant and nervous to hand her into an all white school. He knew that she would be persecuted and treated unfairly by students and teachers, but he thought that it was time to make a change in society, and that it would be a better education for her.

A change in society, that it was.  Mobs formed outside of the school, screaming and throwing things, angry because they didn't appreciate a black child being in the same school. Parents pulled their children from the school, teachers except for one, refused to teach Ruby. Chaos.

It's incredibly hard to believe that people would be so judgmental of African Americans. How can you say that your race is superior to another? It makes absolutely no sense.  All people are created equal, so that's how they should be treated. The fact that blacks and whites had to be separately educated at one point boggles my mind. Thank you, Ruby Bridges for smashing that barrier down. If this picture doesn't inspire you, then I don't know what will. This girl has more strength than I can imagine, and we ought to let her be an example of what courage looks like.