Ruby Bridges celebrates the anniversary of school desegregation

On November 14, 1960, 6 years old Ruby red bridges was surrounded by loved ones and her community in New Orleans, unaware of the significance of what she was about to do.

During the height of the civil rights movement and living in a post-Brown v. Board of Education world, Bridges was among more than 100 students who volunteered to be the first black children to integrate white schools.

But when the day came, Bridges would become known for walking her path alone.

She is remembered for the two iconic photos of her walking out of school escorted by multiple US Marshals, and the photo of those same US Marshals escorting her and her mother to school through a sea of protesters. Bridges recalled that they didn’t know they were protesting her.

“What really protected me is the innocence of a child,” Bridges said at an event Thursday. “Because even though you all saw that and I saw what you saw, my six-year-old mind wasn’t telling me to be afraid. Like, why would I be afraid of a crowd? I see that all the time.

“So I remember the car opened up and they rushed us into the building and when I entered the building my first thought was I’m on my way to college. I’m so smart everyone clearly came to see this 6- year-old goes to college.”

Bridges spoke Thursday about the historic moment for more than 1,000 Kansas students in Topeka at Washburn University to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education and the 64th anniversary of that first walk to school.

“I am so happy that so many of our young people from across the state of Kansas were able to come and hear her tell what I would call a moving story,” said Beryl New, panelist and newly elected member of the Kansas State Board of Education.

New said Bridges gave the audience a call to action during her speech Thursday.

“We’ll know what to do when we leave White Concert Hall today,” New said.

What is the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day?

During the conversation with Bridges, Governor Laura Kelly signed a proclamation officially declaring Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day in Kansas on Thursday. In honor of the walk Bridges took when she closed school in New Orleans, children across the country are walking side by side on Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.

This is the second year that Kansas schools are participating in the national effort to recognize desegregation. National Education Association President Becky Pringle also visited three schools in Kansas on Thursday: Williams Science and Arts Magnet School and Pauline Central Primary School in Topeka and Eugene Ware Elementary School in Kansas City, Kansas.

“Becky has visited Kansas several times as an advocate for our members. Today we are thrilled to have her with us to celebrate the rich culture, heritage and history that continues to shape our fight for equity in public schools today” , according to Kansas National Education. Association President Sherri Schwanz in a written statement.

Ruby Bridges talks about history books, racism

Bridges said history should be taught as it happened, in books like hers It shouldn’t be banned in schools if you tell the truth.

“Why are we still using books, textbooks that we know are outdated?” Bridges asked. “Not everyone is represented in those books. History is not taught the way history happened. So let’s take all the books off the shelves, let’s rewrite them, and let’s start telling the truth and learning about history .”

Bridges emphasized that racism is a learned behavior and not a born evil.

“Racism is a grown-up disease,” Bridges said. “We need to stop using our children to spread it.”

Bridges said she still keeps in touch with the white teacher she had when she went to school because she really cared.

“We know there’s a white guy who helped you,” Bridges said. “You can’t judge all people the same way, and white people can’t judge us all the same way.”

Bridges said the idea that you can only trust people who are like you won’t work in the long run.

“Racism is simply a tool to divide us,” she said.