Ruby Bridges is a television film produced in 1998, directed by Euzhan Palcy and written by Toni Ann Johnson. It is based on a true tale of Ruby Bridges a first grader, who made history as one of the first black students to be enrolled into an integrated school based in New Orleans Louisiana. This was in 1960 and her selection by NAACP to was based on her good grades. She became one of the pioneers that brought down the systems of segregation. Her admission to an all-white public school was met with protests that she had to be accompanied by federal marshals. All she had was the moral support of her parents and Barbara Henry who was the only teacher willing to work with her. Despite being a gifted child she faced racial spite that she would refuse to have lunch with the fear of poisoning. The pressure piled on her that she started to see a child psychologist. Things changed in her second year, she adapted and even walked herself to school. Ruby completed grade school, graduated and later enrolled in Kansas City business school for a travel and tourism course. She also actively participated in activism advocating for respect of differences.
Eliminating racial inequality in America has been difficult. The oppression of people of color has been constant from time immemorial (Barnhill, 2005). The difference between the past and present racial situation is the development of laws and policies against it. Also people of color are now more aware of their rights and education against racism and inequality is on-going. Activism against racism is a common feature from the past to the present of America. This runs from the activism by Rosa Parks against segregation to the recent protests against police brutality targeting colored people after the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.
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Solutions to the challenge of racism in America include formulation of stringent laws, policies and penalties for offenders. As a nation America is quite contradictory because it is founded on equality of all and yet the indigenous population, continually participate in racial spite from the days of slavery to date (Barnhill, 2005). There has also been a lot of administrative racism, evil and disparities based on the color line. Fighting this discrimination requires appreciation, celebration and embracing of different cultures, breaking stereotypes by calling out bigotry, educating children on the importance of coexistence despite social differences and promoting activism and standing up for the victims of racial bias.
Reference
Barnhill, J. H. (2005). Freedom’s sword: The NAACP and the struggle against racism in America, 1909-1969, by Gilbert Jonas. Canadian Journal of History , 40 (2), 374-375. doi:10.3138/cjh.40.2.374
