The Knee-High Heroine, Ruby Bridges, And Her Bodyguards
The civil rights movement had plenty of heroes, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Ruby Bridges, the little girl who would become the initial black student to enroll within a Southern elementary school. The danger was considerable, given the political climate of the time, and Bridges required a team of federal marshals to walk her to school and back. Despite her home being a short walk away from Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, this was an extremely stressful time for the little girl. Not only did she have to endure racist taunts, but she was also alone much of the time, with her fellow students’ parents refusing to allow them to share a classroom with a black girl. Bridges would go on to begin the Ruby Bridges Foundation in 1999, which works to reform racist attitudes in schools.
A Near-Death Experience And The Kiss Of Life
You might have thought that this was a particularly romantic scene when you first looked at this picture, but it is quite the opposite. In 1967, Rocco Morabito took this photograph of Randall G. Champion being resuscitated by J.D. Thompson, a coworker. Champion was fatally electrocuted while working on a low-voltage line, losing consciousness immediately. Thompson happened to drive past the scene, immediately rushing to see what was happening. Thompson’s attention was caught by the sound of yelling, and he turned his head to see Champion dangling from the pole. He had no idea what aid he could bring, other than capturing the scene, but he did have the good sense to summon an ambulance. When he came back to the scene, he saw the kiss of life being administered. Thankfully, Champion lived thanks to his colleague’s efforts.