Walk honors Ruby Bridges and other Black students who integrated Nashville schools

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Early Thursday morning, a crowd gathered to pay tribute to figures of Nashville history and also a figure of U.S. history.

Being up so early the moon is still out, that's not every day for Tanya Debro.

"Y'know. Being that I work from home, it's a miracle. Let's put it that way," she smiled.

There was something special about to happen, something that involved Tanya's story.

"All of these feelings came back up that I hadn't really thought about once I got to be an adult," she said.

It was 1971. Under court-ordered guidelines, a desegregation plan was made to get closer to a racial balance in Nashville schools. There was pushback with mayoral candidate Casey Jenkins leading demonstrations against busing efforts.

"This plan will definitely tear this community apart," he told a crowd in 1971.

Tanya was a third grader about to be bused to Paragon Mills Elementary.

"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 protesters met us at the bus. Because I was already afraid, I don't remember that. I think my trauma probably just wiped that piece out."

Thursday morning came a true history lesson.

A crowd of people and students began walking a mile to Paragon Mills Elementary. It was in part to remember the story of people who helped integrate Nashville schools like Tanya.

It was also remembering the story of Ruby Bridges, the six-year-old girl who integrated a Louisiana school in 1960. She's famously the subject of the Norman Rockwell painting, The Problem We All Live With.

"I can't imagine what she would have gone through just walking in there," Tanya said.

There was something powerful to Tanya about sharing this walk with all these people.

"A sense of happiness, a sense of pride," she said. "Anytime I can give a story to a child, give them some enlightenment of what people in my era had to overcome, I'm happy to do that."

"We are surrounded by local heroes today," Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell told the crowd. "The Civil Rights history of the people I'm honored to be standing with is incredibly important."

Back in 1971, Tanya didn't know she was living through Nashville history. Today, she's proud to share it.

"Why am I tearing up?" she asked. "It was a big deal."

Representatives for Walk Bike Nashville also helped lead this event. The non-profit organization said they hope it will help emphasize the need for more sidewalks and safer roads for people walking and biking all around Music City.