By Ellen Spitaleri
Dozens of Abernethy Elementary School students, teachers, staff, parents and community members showed up on November 14 for the Ruby Bridges Walk and Bike to School Day. The event was held to celebrate the courage of Ruby, the first Black child to integrate an all-white elementary school in New Orleans in 1960; many of the marchers wore purple, the official color of Ruby Bridges Day.
“It was absolutely amazing. Seeing the whole school show up really moved me. It meant so much to watch parents making sure their kids learn about history—especially at a time when major historical events are being removed or not taught in many places,” said Destinee Alexander, the organizer of the event and Abernethy Elementary PTA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion representative. “The sidewalks were full. The energy, the signs, the purple outfits—it all showed how much our community values courage, inclusion and learning the real history of our country.”
The event came about because Alexander wanted to make some big changes at the school. She first learned about Ruby Bridges Day at a back-to-school event in St. John’s; from there she began doing research about the event. “I learned that this has been a big moment and that other schools in Portland have been doing this. I set this as one of my big goals because our school diversity has gone down,” Alexander said.
“Despite facing daily protests and hostility, Ruby showed incredible courage, walking to school each day escorted by federal marshals,” she said. “Her bravery became a powerful symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and the fight for equal education for all children.” Alexander added that currently Bridges is an activist, author and speaker who continues to advocate for tolerance, equality and inclusion through her organization, the Ruby Bridges Foundation.
“Our walk honors Ruby’s courage and commitment to inclusion, equality and kindness. It’s also a chance for our students, staff and families to come together in the same spirit—to show that our community stands for unity, respect and belonging for everyone,” Alexander said.
Melissa Dunn, Abernethy’s principal, noted that studying civil rights is part of the curriculum in all grade levels in order “to bring awareness to aspects of our history, and to show that we still have to celebrate diversity, integration and inclusion.”
It is easy for adults to understand many of the issues surrounding racism and this country’s past, but even young students who attended the march showed that they are also aware of the significance of supporting the walk. Saga Windler, 7, is in the second grade and said she saw a video in art class about what Ruby did and found it “amazing.” She also noted that the color of a person’s skin should not matter. Six-year-old Nova Dayger Forbes is in first grade and said it was important for her to be part of the march because the school is celebrating what Ruby did and she wanted to be part of the celebration.
Scot Forbes is Nova’s father and said that the family has talked about racism, especially the legacy of slavery. “This was just another part of an ongoing discussion that we should all be having about how we are divided. I think what resonates most with Nova is the arbitrary nature of segregation specifically,” he said. “I refer to it as unfair, or even silly, to imagine a world where some of their classmates would have to go to a different school just because they look different,” he said. “It’s important to celebrate one of the few wins in the history of race relations in this country. The events of integration are proof that this country can and will be changed for the better,” Forbes added.
Alexander’s son is seven years old and in first grade. She noted that she has talked to him about Black history for years. Then she told him about Ruby, and how a brave little girl his age was the first to go to a school that was segregated, which meant there were white-only schools and colored schools. She added that in those times, the friends he has now at school, he would not have been allowed to have. “Ruby changed that, so you could have friends of all kinds that don’t look like you,” Alexander told her son.
“Ruby had people bullying her in the worst way possible because white people didn’t see us as humans, but every day she got up and went to school to change the world,” she added.
“We also have to remember that this moment hasn’t stopped, because that was almost 70 years ago. We still have to fight to have equal rights and be recognized as people,” Alexander said. She added that the issue of racism is more important now than ever before.
“We have generations who lived through watching Rodney King, then George Floyd. The world needs to see that our kids are still part of the fight, and the movement will never stop,” Alexander said. Looking back on the march, Alexander added, “For me, it was a powerful reminder of why events like this matter and how much our school cares about creating a welcoming, informed and connected community.”
Abernethy Elementary School student participants in the Ruby Bridges Walk and Bike to School Day show off the signs they made in art class. Photo by Ellen Spitaleri.
