"Ripple in the Pond": Reflecting on Joan Trumpauer Mulholland

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Our Northwoods school was blessed recently with a presentation from civil rights activist Joan Trumpauer Mulholland. Joan was an integral part of many consequential civil rights demonstrations, especially from 1960-1965 when she participated in the 1962 Freedom Rides, 1963 Sit-Ins and the 1964 Freedom Summer. Joan told the story of her decision to work for civil rights when she was 10 years old and took an intrepid walk through the woods to the "other" side of town.  She continues this work today by traveling and sharing her story.

While there are many amazing stories of Joan's life, I'd rather take a moment to reflect on the impact of her work.  Joan shared a phrase she uses to describe the nature of her work: "a ripple in a pond."  The metaphor speaks for itself, but let's look at the some of the ripples.



A white girl from Mississippi makes black friends in 1960. Think of the questions, looks, threats from strangers, friends, family.  To make change, you have to be change.

A white girl from Mississippi is the first to go to a traditionally all black college.  A black girl sees her at night in the hall and screams, thinking she has seen a ghost.  Change can be terrifying.

A white girl from Mississippi walks through a mob of hundreds of angry, violent people to sit at a counter with black friends. She endures the yelling, drinks poured on her head and the taunts.  Justice is dangerous.

This goes on in various forms for years because the need goes on in various forms for years.  Justice comes over time like the ripples in a pond.



An old lady shares the names Emmett Till, Andrew Sullivan, and Dr. King as she relates her experiences as a young woman during the civil rights movement to a crowded auditorium of high school juniors.  Stories can change minds.

A few teachers meet to discuss inviting guest speakers.  An inspired teacher takes it upon herself to reach out to local resources and secure for her school a national speaker, an old lady who fought for civil rights as a young woman in Mississippi in the early 1960s.  Justice rolls through time and space.

A student stops his teacher in the hall after hearing the stories of an old lady about her experiences fighting for civil rights. The young man is inspired by the old lady's courage and her resolution to justice.  Words affect change.


My colleagues Sara Andrew and Paul Aleckson worked hard to bring the ripples of Joan's life to the students here. They are dedicated to preserving history as a means of creating community.

It struck me that listening to Joan wasn't so much about the past as it was about the present and the future.  It has never been more important to choose carefully who we listen to, whose story we want to know and share, whose story we will re-share. 

So having students inspired by courage, having students talk about being a girl in a crowd as different from being a boy, having students stand in ovation to an old woman for the courage it took to share stories, I see ripples in a pond.  I see the incessant undulations of justice moving out through a community.  Because regardless of any political stance you or I might have on race relations today, learning how to speak and listen to stories is a powerful first step.

If you'd like to know more of Joan's story, check out The Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation website.


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