Anita watches our grandkids, Raegan and Ruby, each Monday, which is also my day off. So, I’ve had fun interacting with the older, Raegan. She likes animal crackers, so I found the old 1935 clip of Shirley Temple singing, ‘Animal Crackers in My Soup’ online. Because little children like repetition, she keeps asking for it now.

So, I thought she might like to see Shirley dance as well as sing. With a little bit of surfing I came up with a great dance number with little Shirley and the great Mr. Bojangles himself (also 1935)! I never knew this existed. This was the very first interracial dance and would never have happened if Shirley wasn’t so young.

From a time prior to the American Revolution up until the 1970s, there has always been racial tension in our country. For many in the south, that tension still exists. I believe that mandated busing of students in public schools, as much as people complained about it, has accomplished its intended goal of creating a sense of equality in the young generation, demonstrated by the dramatic increase of mixed marriages as they grew up.

Its apparently true that the key to positive change is in the young generation. Any thoughts?