Oddbean

Today, tell your kids about Ruby Bridges—the first Black child at all-white public elementary school in South. Today Ms. Bridges turns 69. 69. She's younger than both my parents. And more importantly, she's a reminder of the courage of our youth, of the ever present reality of systemic racism, and of the need to lead with anti-racism to counter this hate. Let us look to leaders like Ms. Bridges, and build that more perfect union for all people in this country—grounded in true Justice for all https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/111/030/788/404/900/841/original/169baa1ce33e2e69.png

@e4576eea Very well said. People - If you or your parents are some of the people who would have stood with the people yelling at this little girl, or want to prevent folks to learn about those people yelling at this little girl - shame on you you unAmerican known-nothing!@

@e4576eea We seem to remember the awful cases from that period. But nobody ever mentions the ones that weren't so awful. I was there for one such. I worked very hard to ensure that the new black students coming to my high school felt welcome and befriended. I think it worked. I'm sure we didn't do everything just right. But the entire integration experience was pretty much incidentless and quiet. I've been proud of that all my life. Not all was bad in those days.

@e4576eea What I love about the Long Beach school district is - my kids told ME about Ruby Bridges this year. I didn't know her name until my 2nd grader came home and told us he learned all about her that day. And he proceeded to tell me the story. The world is getting better. Little by little.

Any Canadians reading this thread should read this article: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/racial-segregation-of-black-students-in-canadian-schools After seeing the post from @e4576eea, I realized I didn't know the history of racial segregation in Canada (aside from the "Indian" Residential and Day Schools). TIL that the last _legally_ segregated school in Canada closed in 1983. 1983. Friends, I was 3 years old that year. It's only 40 years ago. Michael Jackson's "Beat It" was on the radio. Dallas and Dynasty were the must-watch TV shows. Canada's history of racial segregation has tried to hide in the shadows cast by the US. Let's bring it out into the light and face it and do something about it. #antiracism #canada #CanadianHistory #BlackLivesMatter

@e4576eea my mom was in middle school when our county was desegregated (she is about to turn 56). She has told me about it, primarily about the way her own mom reacted. She was pulled from public school—put into private school, because of “threats of violence”. Of all the children at risk of violence during that period, I doubt white students ranked number one. This was in the 70s—not that long ago. The county is still functionally segregated, and I didn’t learn most of this until adulthood.