Ruby Bridges Continues to Make History
Norman Rockwell Museum
Rockwell immortalized then 6-year-old Ruby Bridges Hall's first day of school in 1960. |
In 1999, Bridges founded the Ruby Bridges Foundation and is a motivational speaker for schoolchildren across the country, speaking out against racism and intolerance.
Bridges' historic journey to school was immortalized in Norman Rockwell's painting "The Problem We All Live With," which appeared on the cover of Look Magazine on Jan. 14, 1964. This weekend, the museum honors Bridges' journey and Rockwell's painting with a small installation and a talk on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. by curator Corry Kanzenberg.
Question: What stands out in your mind about that first day of school 50 years ago?
Answer: That first day I remember driving up in front of the school with the U.S. marshals. People were chanting and throwing things and they seemed really angry.
Q: Did you ask your mother about what was going on?
 Bridges, seen here in New Orleans last month, speaks at schools around the country. |
Q: What do you think is the greatest challenge that children face today?
A: I have four grandchildren. I think the greatest challenge is the violence that's in the world that is directed towards our children. I believe that there's a greater evil out there amongst us. This has touched me personally because I've lost a son to violence. We're concerned about the wrong things. We are so focused on education but we really need to get back to the basics.
Q: Do you ever question your role in history? Do you wish things were different?
A: No, no, I know now that this was the plan for me all along. I'm comfortable in my own skin. Of course, I still question and doubt myself and there are days when I don't want to get up out of bed. But I still have hope. My biggest fans are the kids and I'm always amazed at how welcoming they are to me. For as much as we see in the media and all of the negativity we see I see that kind of hope every time I go into a classroom. And I know that we are going to come out OK.
