Through My Eyes

A letter to the reader from internationally renowned musician and activist Harry Belafonte opens the book. Belafonte popularized Caribbean-inspired jazz in the mid-20th century. He was also active in the Civil Rights Movement, befriending such figures as Martin Luther King Jr. He opens his letter by explaining his efforts in advancing civil and human rights and flags Bridges’s story as a particularly important one in the greater context of “loss…victory…[and] courage” in the movement (3).

He defines Bridges’s integration as “an act of profound bravery” and claims that she “opened the minds of millions of people” (3). Her story, Belafonte suggests, is particularly remarkable because she was just a young child when she performed this brave act. In the following chapters, Bridges explains that she did not fully understand the situation, but she carried out her duty, nonetheless.

In the preface, Bridges offers historical context for her story that will follow. She talks about the Civil Rights Movement arriving in Louisiana but notes that she was unaware of the racism in Louisiana and explains that “young children never know about racism at the start” (4).