#BlackHistoryMonth Today's letter is D- for drive.
I had an entire plan, but my children wanted to learn about Ruby Bridges.
They said that someone had to DRIVE her to school😆, so, I went with their selection.
I had an entire plan, but my children wanted to learn about Ruby Bridges.
They said that someone had to DRIVE her to school😆, so, I went with their selection.
Ruby Bridges, born in 1954, the same year as my mother. My children were shocked to hear that when their gma was a child, integrated schools were resisted.
My children learned about how even with laws in place, people made up creative ways to ensure segregated schools.
My children learned about how even with laws in place, people made up creative ways to ensure segregated schools.
In New Orleans, Black children had to take an extremely hard placement test in order to get into the White school. 6 kids passed the test at Ruby's school, 2 of the children remained at the Black school, 3 Black girls went to McDonogh school and Ruby went to Frantz on her own.
Day 1- Nov 14, 1960 Ruby recounts being DRIVEN 🙂🙃🙂 to school by her mom and Federal Marshalls. She says she saw all the people outside and throwing things, she thought it must be Mardi Gras.
Parents protested and refused to send their kids to school.
Parents protested and refused to send their kids to school.
Teachers protested and refused to teach. All but one teacher, Barbara Henry, from Boston. She taught Ruby in a classroom all alone, with no other kids, for the entire year.
Ruby brought her own food with her bc people threatened to poison her.
Ruby brought her own food with her bc people threatened to poison her.
A white woman stood in front of the school daily with a Black doll baby in a coffin, to serve as a continual threat to Bridges.
Her father lost his job, her grandparents in a different state lost their land, the local grocery store refused their business.
Her father lost his job, her grandparents in a different state lost their land, the local grocery store refused their business.
Many people helped the family during this time. Federal Marshalls protected Bridges at school, a neighbor hired the dad, and other neighbors took turns protecting the family's house.
A psychiatrist met weekly with Bridges to help her deal with the trauma.
A psychiatrist met weekly with Bridges to help her deal with the trauma.
This was a hard lesson for me & my girls. I kept looking at my 5 year old as I read about the White adults threatening to kill a 6 year old Black child.
My oldest asked, "what were the White people afraid of?"
I responded- change.
I need a drink
#BlackHistoryIsAmericanHistory
My oldest asked, "what were the White people afraid of?"
I responded- change.
I need a drink
#BlackHistoryIsAmericanHistory
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