In 1960, when she was just 6 years old, civil rights leader Ruby Bridges was one of four children to integrate the public school system in New Orleans. Every day, she crossed a screaming mob to enter her classroom.

But once she was inside, Bridges found an amazing, compassionate teacher who taught her “a lesson that Dr. King tried to teach all of us, and that was that we should never look at a person and judge them by the color of their skin.”

To learn more about the MLK Day of Service and find local opportunities to serve, visit the MLK Day website. You can also visit the Presidential Inaugural Committee website  to commit to serve on the National Day of Service and MLK Day, and search Serve.gov to find ways to volunteer all year long.