WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Students at Hillsdale Elementary School in West Valley City marked a moment in the country's civil rights history Thursday by participating in the Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Bridges, who was 6 years old at the time, was the first black student to walk into a previously all-white New Orleans school on November 14, 1960, as segregation began to end in that region of the country. Not warmly greeted at the time, deputy U.S. Marshals escorted Bridges to school that year for her safety.
As students now learn about what happened that day, Thursday’s walk was about inspiring them for the future.
"We just want them to understand that this is a great opportunity to (learn that) everyone is important," explained sixth-grade teacher Lisa Von Gunten. "We just want them to know that they can succeed at anything they put their minds to."
Tiana Angilau wanted to make sure her two children, 5-year-old Mable and 7-year-old Derek, were among the students who walked in Ruby's honor.
"It’s important, you know, as people of color, it’s like without her, like we wouldn’t be able to have this opportunity — to be able to attend public schools," Angilau said.
The fact that Bridges went on to become a civil rights activist as an adult is even more inspiring for the students.
"The kids… I showed the video of Ruby Bridges, and they’re like, is she still alive? And they were so excited to know that she is still alive and that we’re still celebrating her," Von Gunten added.
Angilau is thankful her children are beginning to get an understanding of what Bridges was up against as a child in becoming the symbol of the desegregation movement of public schools.
"I want them to be able to know and understand that because of certain people like Ruby Bridges that they’re able to live a free life," she said, "and be around all these wonderful kids and wonderful teachers."
