Friend, on her first day of first grade in November of 1960, six-year-old Ruby Bridges and her parents braved an angry mob of segregationist parents who were screaming vicious slurs at her as she became the first Black student to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South. The Bridges family suffered for their courage : her father lost his job, grocery stores refused to sell to them, and her grandparents lost their farm.
Every single child in America should learn about the bravery the Bridges family showed that day in 1960. Every single child in America should understand the sacrifices Black families made and continue to make to ensure equal opportunity for all children.
Today, Republican political action committees and groups of white nationalists are working to ban books like those that tell the story of Ruby Bridges, Martin Luther King Jr., and other Black movement leaders in an attempt to exploit Black history education as a wedge issue.
The attempt to ban Black history education is an attempt to hide the truth about this country’s past and present injustices. When we suppress these truths, we deny the lived experiences of Black communities and the need to dismantle power structures that are inherently anti-Black and harmful.
As we begin to think about what actions we can take to commemorate Black History Month, we must prioritize protecting Black history—American history—to better equip future generations with the knowledge and tools to dismantle systems of oppression.
We must make it clear to Black and brown children that their history matters, that their stories are worth telling, and that their lives are worth protecting. Keep fighting,
Jayleen Alvarado, Daily Kos. | 
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