Don't Follow the Path
Who is Ruby Bridges?
Ruby Nell Bridges Hall is a civil rights activist, and at the age of six, became the first African American student to integrate and elementary school in the South, in early 1960. She was one of six African American children in New Orleans to pass the test that was determined whether they could attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School. As stated by Women’s History, her father resisted, fearing for her safety, however her mother wanted her to attend and have the educational opportunities they had been denied.
On November 14th, 1960, Bridges attended her first day at the all-white William Frantz School.
Bridges and her mother were escorted to school by four federal Marshalls every day that year. She walked past crowds screaming vicious slurs, throwing things, a woman threatening to poison her, and the most frightening; a woman holding a black baby doll in a coffin. When she entered the school building, white parents immediately pulled their children out. All of the teachers, except Barbara Henry, refused to teach while a African American child was enrolled. For over a year Henry taught Bridges alone. Her mother also spent the entire day of school. The chaos of the school prevented their moving to a classroom until the second day.
The Bridges family suffered for their decision to send her to William Frantz Elementary. According to Wikipedia, her father lost his job, the store the family would shop at would no longer let them shop there, her grandparents were turned off their land and her parents eventually separated.
Despite the protests, some white families sent their children to Frantz Elementary, a neighbor provided her father with a new job; local people babysat, watched the house as protectors, and walked behind the federal Marshall’s car on trips to school. Thankfully, at a time when the Bridges family needed the most support – both African American and whites showed support in various ways.
She now goes by Ruby Bridges Hall, living in New Orleans with her husband and their four sons.
Books
*Kids*
This Is Your Time | Ruby Bridges
Through My Eyes | Ruby Bridges
The story of Ruby Bridges | Robert Coles
Ruby Bridges: A Brave Child Who Made History | Jeri Cipriano
Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story | Ruby Bridges
Let’s Read About – Ruby Bridges | Grace Maccarone & Ruby Bridges
Movie(s) | Film(s) | Documentaries'
Ruby Bridges - 1998
Source(s)
"Ruby Bridges." 2015, National Women's History Museum
"Ruby Bridges." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 May 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Bridges
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