Thank You, Ruby Bridges
by Alicia C.
Dear Ruby Bridges,
Wow! You were exceptionally brave to face the challenges of integration. Even though there were many threats and riots, you persevered and kept right on going to that school. I am honored with the chance to even write to you.
I feel that racism is wrong. It is not right to judge people by their appearance or color of their skin. Just like the old saying, "don't judge a book by its cover," it's what is on the inside that really matters.
When people group others, then problems start. Just look at some of the problems with the Holocaust, the current problem in Iraq, and the segregation problem back when you were young. Little disagreements led to riots, which led to death of many people.
It is unfortunate that even though people fought for civil rights and made a difference in the world, there is still racism going on today. It happens in the world, in our country, in my state, my town, and my school and even on the bus. My friend shared with me a time when he was riding home on the school bus and the bus driver wouldn't let him put his window down, but let another kid put his window down. My friend is black and the other kid is white. It's little things like that which add up to big things and can literally split apart a nation.
I am glad that the world has been changed. I live in a better world today because of the actions taken by brave people like you. I hope someday I can live in a world where there is no judgment or segregation and we can all accept each other as equals.
Thank you for reading about my thoughts. I surely hope you feel the same. I am humbled when I see how great a change you have made and how much you are still doing to promote civil rights. Thank you for your work!
Your Fellow Fighter,
Alicia C., Michigan
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If You Grew Up at the Time of Martin Luther King
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If You Grew Up at the Time of Martin Luther King
by Ellen Levine and Ellen BeierThe If You series provides a child-friendly way for beginning readers to learn about significant eras in our past, while still being a lot of fun. Each book's inviting question-and-answer format and lively full-color illustrations make this truly living history. This series is a go-to source for history made comprehensive, comprehensible, and entertaining.
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March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
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March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World
by Dr. Christine King Farris and London Ladd
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2009 Andrew Carnegie Medal Winner
From Dr. Martin Luther King's sister, the definitive tribute to the man, the march, and the speech that changed a nation.
On a hot August day in 1963, hundreds of thousands of people made history when they marched into Washington, D.C., in search of equality. Martin Luther King, Jr., the younger brother of Christine King Farris, was one of them.
Martin was scheduled to speak to the crowds of people on that day. But before he could stand up and inspire a nation, he had to get down to business. He first had to figure out what to say and how to say it. So he spent all night working on his "I Have a Dream" speech, one that would underscore a landmark moment in civil rights history -- the Great March on Washington. This would be one of the first events televised all over the globe. The world would be listening, as one of the greatest orators of our time shared his vision for a new day.
From the sister of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., comes this moving account of what that day was like for her, and for the man who inspired a crowd -- and convinced a nation to let freedom ring.
London Ladd's beautiful full-color illustrations bring to life the thousands of people from all over the country who came to the nation's capital. They sing, they join hands, they march, and they listen as speaker after speaker inspires social change, culminating in Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
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