Nashville Walk Commemorates Ruby Bridges and Local Students Who Championed School Integration

In Nashville, Tennessee, a crowd gathered before dawn, braving the frosty weather to recognize unforgettable figures of U.S. history. Embodying the spirit of endurance and resilience, citizens of all ages came together for a special cause – honoring not only the local pioneers of the school integration in Nashville, but also Ruby Bridges, one of the icons of U.S. civil rights history.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Among the participants was Tanya Debro, who emerged from her usual work-from-home routine to reconnect with an intense chapter of her childhood. Back in 1971, Tanya, then a third grader, was among the students bused to Paragon Mills Elementary under a court-guided desegregation plan.

“We’re getting on this big yellow thing and shipped across town,” she remembered. “It was frightening. I’m not gonna lie. It was very, very frightening.”

The plan had sparked outrage, with mayoral candidate Casey Jenkins vehemently asserting, “This plan will definitely tear this community apart.” Under the weight of those sentiments, young Tanya embarked on her journey towards integration.

Creating Awareness about a Shared History

Come Thursday morning, an entire crowd swelled towards Paragon Mills Elementary, walking a mile in memory of Tanya, Ruby Bridges, and their fellow students who were on the frontlines of school integration. The 6-year-old Louisiana girl Ruby Bridges, enshrined in Norman Rockwell’s painting, The Problem We All Live With, desegregated her local school in 1960.

“I can’t imagine what she would have gone through just walking in there,” Tanya said.

The collective walk evoked deep emotions in Tanya and offered everyone involved a nuanced understanding of the struggles endured by previous generations. Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell encapsulated those feelings in his address to the crowd, “The civil rights history of the people I’m honored to be standing with is incredibly important,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell told the crowd.

From Remembering to Building

When the busing began in 1971, Tanya did not realize she was becoming part of Nashville’s history. Today, she carries the weight of that history with pride and uses her story to inspire young generations.

Reps from the non-profit Walk Bike Nashville took the lead in organizing this event, with the hope to highlight the need for better walking and biking avenues throughout MusicCity. Their efforts became a poignant message of walking together – charting paths across schools, generations, neighborhoods, and laid the ground for a better future.

Author: HERE Nashville