Yelled at, screamed at, being heckled, called names and all at the age of 6-years-old. Ruby Bridges has endured it, but she had some help.
Just in-case your school skipped this in history class, Ruby Bridges was the first black child to attend what was (before she stepped foot on the grounds) a segregated school. In 1960, the brave little girl wanted an education and walking her through the doors of, William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans were four Marshalls – only one, Charles Burks, 91 is still alive.
50 plus years later the two meet up again for a special event, and Ruby thanks one of the men that protected her on a daily basis. Hit the jump to get a glimpse into the interaction.
Interaction in the gallery! They’re both looking for their age! Kicking it!
“Thank you Charlie for doing what was right at a time when it might not have been the easiest thing to do,” is what Bridges said to Burks, while they sat at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The two were being filmed for an exhibit titled, ‘The Power of Children.’
“It was a privilege to be able to do what I did, even though it was one of my duties. Everybody says it was just another job to do, but it was a wonderful job,” Burks said, in response to the thank you.
This was a great read. If more folk did their history on the difficulties of the past, maybe the future or even the present would become more clear.
[via]
