What’s So Special About Today?
I like to read This Day in History to bring back memories of events from my past or to learn new information. I learned some things today.
On November 14, 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her mother were escorted by U.S. marshalls to her new school, William Franz Elementary School. Born in September, she was entering the first grade. But first she and her mother had to get through a hateful crowd of segregationists, white parents, who hurled epithets at the little girl. I knew that from other readings about segregation.
Coincidentally, Ruby Bridges was born the year the Supreme Court decided the Brown v. Board of Education case. Segregated education was not equal education, the Court said, and all children should be able to attend the same public schools. To be even able to get into the school for white children, Ruby had to take a test. She and a handful of other black students passed the test and were accepted into their local schools.
Ruby’s father was afraid to let her go. He was afraid of what the racist people would say and do. Ruby’s mother was surely frightened too but she wanted her baby to have the best possible education. And so, they braved the vicious crowd.
As it happens, Ruby is 2 months older than me. Because I was born in December, in November 1960 I was happily and safely in kindergarten. All the kids looked like me. My Grandma walked me to school without incident and with much friendliness from other kids and parents walking to school. I had a lot of friends, companions in the lunchroom and playground. I didn’t know I was privileged.
When I realized today that I was the same age as Ruby Bridges, I became more curious about her and began looking for other articles. For their bravery, the Bridges family sure went through some hell. Only one teacher was willing to have Ruby in class…and all the other children’s parents from that class pulled them out of school. Ruby learned alone. She ate lunch alone. Sometimes her teacher would join her for lunch or even for recess. I suppose that teacher had compassion for the little girl so isolated.
That wasn’t the end of it. People were so mad about desegregation that Ruby’s dad lost his job. And the storekeeper wouldn’t sell groceries to the mom. The family was ostracized.
I was surrounded by a loving, extended family. My grandmother was related to half the people in town and even the ones who weren’t blood family looked out for my baby brother and me. We were welcome everywhere we went and were never turned away from the corner store when we’d rush in to buy candy.
It gives me a sick feeling once again.
Slavery was a horrific evil. Once free, although they were given rights to vote and own property after the Civil War, the disgraced planters and other Southern white came up with obstacles to obstruct and repress black people--mostly because they were afraid of losing their prestige and power.
Jim Crow and segregation was another great evil.
It was sickening to me that it took to the year I was born to give people of color the right to attend public schools with white kids, who were really no better. We are all human, after all. It was even more sickening that it took more than ten years to secure the right to vote in 1965 when I was turning 11 in December and still clueless.
It's taken too long and now the Rethugs want to take us back to Jim Crow, segregation, and the times of the KKK?
I think about what black people, Native Americans, Muslims, Jews, and Catholics have suffered at the hands of white supremacists. Recently, very racist views have been spouted by christian nationalists. Note the small c. They are not follows of Christ although they proclaim they are. They are as far from Jesus as anyone could possibly be and not be the Devil.
We still don't have racial justice.
I think about the differences between me and Ruby Bridges on November 14, 1960. I admire her. I don't think I would have been so brave.
More here:
National Women’s History Museum
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