Black History Month: Spotlight on Courage

09 Mar Black History Month: Spotlight on Courage

Posted at 11:15h in Parent Involvement, Parent Engagement, Grandparenting, Parenting young children, Parent Education, Parenting teens, Parenting, Parenting Education, Coparenting, School Success by Dr. Popkin

Happy Black History month from Active Parenting Publishers

Black History Month: Spotlight on Courage

For years families and communities have come together to celebrate Black History Month, which takes place in the month of February. This special month came into existence to showcase and celebrate the contributions of courageous African Americans to the United States. Black History Month is a sacred tradition in households nationwide to celebrate the power of change, peace, and love that the African American race possesses. Ruby Bridges is a notable figure that is a hero to all Americans.

Don’t follow a path. Create your own! Even if you are alone.

Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is an American civil rights activist. She was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960. In honor of Black History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on Ruby Bridges as an inspiring example of courage.

Black History Month - Norman Rockwell painting of Ruby Bridges

Norman Rockwell’s painting: “The Problem We All Live With” depicts young Ruby’s courageous walk to school past a wall full of racist graffiti and littered with tomatoes thrown by angry crowds.

Ruby’s journey began when she was just a young girl trying to get an education. Ruby Bridges is a key figure to show that children have the power to stand up for what is right and help bring about change. Change that makes our world a better place. The US Supreme Court ruled to end racial segregation in schools in 1954, the year Ruby was born. However, southern states continued to segregate. In 1960 a Federal Court ordered Louisiana to finally integrate its schools. Even as a young child, Ruby did not let the crowds of angry people deter her from going to school. To learn more about Ruby Bridges and her courageous struggle and victory click here. She established the Ruby Bridges foundation to continue her work to promote tolerance and be an advocate for change through education.

“Courage is the confidence to take a known risk for a known purpose. The confidence we have in ourselves says there is a reasonable chance to succeed at something if we take a risk.”
~Dr. Michael H. Popkin

Check out our Active Parenting 4th edition program to learn more about this concept. Ruby Bridges was full of courage and confidence to make a difference. You can do it too!

Contributing author: Salina Trahan

Active Parenting Publishers has been providing research-based education programs with an emphasis on nonviolent discipline, mutual respect, and open communication for over 35 years.