In an iconic moment of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, federal marshals escorted a six-year-old African-American girl through an angry crowd to integrate a public school in New Orleans.
That girl's name is Ruby Bridges, and she was in Indianapolis Thursday to meet with one of the marshals who protected her more than 50 years ago.
"Charlie helped me in ways he couldn't imagine," said Bridges.
Ruby Bridges holds an important place in civil rights history - a place she wants to share with Charles Burks.
"I said to Charlie that he didn't just help to protect me, but he helped to shape me into the person I am," said Bridges.
"It was a privilege to be able to do what I did even though it was a line of duty thing. Everyone else says it was just another job to do, but it was a wonderful job," said Burks, who is 91.
The two reunited at the Children's Museum in a longstanding exhibit that recreates the classroom where Bridges made history in 1960. Burks, a U.S. Marshal and Indiana native, remembers protecting Bridges each day as she walked through that angry mob that was protesting integration.
"Thinking about making sure nothing happened to Ruby, that was the most important thing," said Burks.
"I remember turning the corner and being in the car with Charlie and the other guys and looking out of the window and seeing the other police officers on horseback and motorcycles. I really thought we were in a parade that day. I really thought we had got caught up in a Mardi Gras parade. So I wasn't afraid," said Bridges.
Bridges says her parents deliberately didn't tell her what was going on. They didn't want to frighten her unnecessarily.
"Every day those crowds were outside and I'd have to get past them. But when I got inside, I was greeted by a teacher who was white and she was not like the others," said Bridges.
For the entire year of first grade, Ruby learned alone confined to her classroom with that caring teacher, Mrs. Henry. Ruby was attending a white school, but wasn't allowed to interact with the white students. It took her a while to even learn they were there.
"Once I found them having them say to me that they couldn't play with me because I was a n----- and that actually was a slap in the face to me because I realized that's what this was about. It is about the color of my skin," said Bridges.
Going forward, Bridges says we're all responsible for doing our part to learn and share a history where a little girl and her fearless protector embraced the impossible to beat hate.
"I thank him for it for having the heart and the courage to do that and I believe it's extremely important that we do that today," said Bridges.
Ruby has answered the call to share her story around the country going into classrooms like this one, sharing and motivating young children and now she's invited Mr. Burks to join her in some of those appearances.
