Ed Pratt: If Ruby Bridges could survive one of our ugliest chapters, today's kids can learn about it

In a moment of reflection recently, I stared for the umpteenth time at an iconic photo from the civil rights movement. It’s the one of a beautiful little six-year-old girl named Ruby Bridges with her book bag in hand flanked by U.S. marshals, as her short legs maneuvered the steps at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.

Ruby was integrating the school.

It was November 1960, a couple months after I had entered first grade at Reddy Elementary School, seemingly a million miles away in Baton Rouge. There were no lawmen at my segregated grade school.

With her perfectly placed white bow in her hair, Ruby carried the weight of educational freedom on her tiny shoulders. Sadly, she needed the marshals’ escort because some folks wanted to do her harm — and her parents, too — for daring to register at an all-White school. I have always loved that photo.

But, there was something different about this photo that I captured from the Internet. A quote attached reads: “If this child was strong enough to survive it, your child is strong enough to learn about it,” referring to the outcry from folks now arguing that the true story of my history shouldn’t be taught because it could make children and others that don’t look like Ruby and me feel bad.

The clarity of that statement was punctuated by the news over the next several hours.

I saw a story about Silliman Institute, a private school in Clinton that had refused to claim the Jan. 17 national holiday recognizing Martin L. King Jr. Instead they called it “Great American Heroes Day.”

After the public outcry in opposition, leaders at the school in the seat of East Feliciana Parish said they would review their decision. A friend, though, made an interesting point. He surmised that the story will be a great recruitment tool. Now that you think about it.

Their decision begs the question: Why would King be difficult to honor? The man tried to uplift the lives of Blacks and people of color who were being treated as second-class Americans. He advocated for the right to vote, to enter restaurants, other places of business and, yes, schools. Are those bad things? He also pushed for togetherness among the races. I guess that’s too bad to promote in some circles.

While Silliman’s decision was still around on my news menu that day, I also saw where Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was enthusiastically supporting a bill there that would make it illegal to teach about certain past horrors because it might make some people feel bad. Obviously, issues of slavery, the horrors of the civil rights movement and the cruelty to Native Americans could have been what he was talking about.

Actually, it ought to be more uncomfortable to leave those things out.

I guess the photo of little Ruby Bridges would be relegated to a dustbin instead of the library there. However, Silliman’s approach to the King holiday would be heralded in DeSantis’ Sunshine State.

Then, I got news that U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell had made a horrible comment straight out of the worst part of American history. While defending the defeat of a bill in Congress that would have protected the voting rights of people of color and the poor, McConnell said “African American voters are voting in just as high a percentage as American voters.”

WHAT???

The late Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Toni Morrison said years ago: “In this country, American means White. Everybody else has to hyphenate.” McConnell could have said “just as high a percentage as all other groups.”

As the week concluded, I did smile again at the Ruby Bridges’ photo, knowing that she is all grown up now doing things to help others, and no doubt mentally stronger and braver than those who tormented her and her family so many years ago.

Now getting back to Silliman.

Black History Month starts Tuesday. Will anything about Black history be taught? And, just what will the month be called there?