THEN: A Black girl escorted to school - 1960
On November 14, 1960, nearly 49 years ago, 6 year old Ruby Bridges faced hostile crowds, and had to be escorted by U.S. Marshalls , because she was the first black child to attend previously all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans , Louisiana Ruby was 6 years old. (The Great Norman Rockwell cr eated the painting above depicting that event.)That morning, she had only been told by her mother that she was going to be attending a new school that day and 'had better behave.' Little did little Ruby know that she would be bombarded with jeers and even death threats; and that she would end up being the sole child in her first grade class because all the other children were kept home by their parents. All because Ruby was Black.
NOW: A Black girl escorted to school - 2009
On January 5, 2009, nearly 49 years after Ruby attended her school, 7 year old Sasha Obama, faced cheering schoolmates as she is escorted by her Mother and U.. S. Secret Service Agents to Sidwell Friends Elementary School in Washington , DC . Her Mother, the current First Lady of the United States of America , had Secret Service escort because Sasha's daddy is now the 44th President of the United States , Barack Obama.
GLORY BE TO GOD, FOREVER MORE!
Discrimination seems to be just about
ReplyDeleteeverywhere, and to a degree, it is practised
by just about anyone, and for just about any
reason. The little girl Ruby, in 1960, was a
great turning point in Human History.
But, discrimination is still very much alive,
and for some reason it has a resurgence in a
time of a poor economy,like we are seeing now.
Larry, you have a good point. We still have a way to go, I like to think that in good time, discrimination will be a distant history. Thank you for your thoughts.
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