Ruby Bridges was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi, the oldest of farmers Lucille and Abon Bridges’ five children. When she was 2 years old, her family moved to New Orleans in search of a better life. Perhaps it is no coincidence that 1954 also marked Brown v. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that ended racial segregation in public schools.
Southern states continued to resist integration, and in 1959, Bridges attended a segregated New Orleans kindergarten. A year later, a federal court ordered Louisiana to desegregate. The city of New Orleans responded by creating entrance exams for African American students to see whether they could compete academically. Though Ruby was among the six students who passed the test, her parents debated sending her to the all-white William Frantz Elementary School, knowing that families and students were unlikely to welcome Blacks. But her mother convinced her father to let Ruby attend—she should have the educational opportunities that they had been denied.
Ruby Bridges and her mother were escorted by four federal marshals to the school every day that year. Crowds screamed vicious slurs at her, and she spent her first day in the principal’s office due to the chaos—angry white parents pulled their children from school, and the most ardent segregationists withdrew them permanently. Barbara Henry, a white Boston native, was the only teacher willing to accept Ruby. She was a class of one and ate lunch alone, but she never missed a day of school.
Some families supported her bravery. Others continued to protest. And the Bridges family suffered for their courage. Abon lost his job, and stores refused to sell to Lucille. Over time, other African American students enrolled. In 1964, artist Norman Rockwell celebrated Bridges’ courage with a painting entitled “The Problem We All Live With.” The iconic image shows the small girl with notebooks and ruler in hand, being led by U.S. marshals, a tomato splattered against the wall.
Bridges graduated from a desegregated high school, became a travel agent, married, and had four sons. A lifelong activist for racial equality, she established the Ruby Bridges Foundation in 1999 to promote tolerance and create change through education. The following year, she was made an honorary deputy marshal in a ceremony in Washington, D.C. She wrote about her early experiences in “Through My Eyes,” which received the Carter G. Woodson Book Award in 2000. President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2001.
A bronze statue of Bridges stands proudly in the courtyard of William Frantz Elementary School, now home to the Akili Academy. It honors the young girl who opened a door for generations of students to enter.
FAQs
A lifelong activist for racial equality, in 1999, Ruby established The Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote tolerance and create change through education. In 2000, she was made an honorary deputy marshal in a ceremony in Washington, DC.
What are three things Ruby Bridges did? ›
Ruby Bridges worked as a travel agent before becoming a stay-at-home mother. In 1993 she began working as parent liaison at the grade school she had attended, and in 1999 she formed the Ruby Bridges Foundation to promote tolerance and unity.
How did Ruby Bridges show kindness? ›
She showed unforgettable loving forgiveness and courage when faced with the ugly screaming White mobs who jeered and taunted her every day as she walked into William Frantz Elementary School. Federal marshals had to escort Ruby to school, but she never quit or turned back.
Did Ruby Bridges pass the test? ›
The Board of Education which ordered all schools to desegregate. Ruby was one of six students to pass the test and her parents decided to send her to an all-white elementary school to receive a better education.
What do Ruby Bridges teach us? ›
Learning that you can never judge anyone from the outside was the first lesson of that tumultuous year. A second was that we must all “become brothers and sisters.” “We must absolutely take care of one another. It does take a village, but we have to be a village first.
What is Ruby Bridges' famous quote? ›
Ruby Bridges Quotes
One famous quote by Ruby Bridges was from a speech given at the dedication of her new Ruby Bridges Foundation ceremony. She said, "Racism is a grownup disease. Let's stop using kids to spread it."
What did Ruby Bridges do to change the world? ›
She was the first African American child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School. At six years old, Ruby's bravery helped pave the way for Civil Rights action in the American South. Ruby was born on September 8, 1954 to Abon and Lucille Bridges in Tylertown, Mississippi. She was the eldest of five children.
What struggles did Ruby Bridges face? ›
In 1960, she was chosen to attend the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, thrusting her into the center of a heated struggle for racial equality. Ruby's journey to school was fraught with adversity, as she braved a gauntlet of angry protesters who spewed hateful insults and threats.
Was Ruby Bridges a civil rights activist? ›
Ruby Nell Bridges Hall (born September 8, 1954) is an American civil rights activist. She was the first African American child to attend formerly whites-only William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana during the New Orleans school desegregation crisis on November 14, 1960.
Did Ruby Bridges go to school alone? ›
Bridges says she sees her 6-year-old self enduring a lonely and confusing year in the children's letters. After walking past mobs of protesters, Bridges attended classes alone — and did so for the full year. Some white families permanently withdrew their children from the school because Bridges was a student there.
Answer and Explanation: Malcolm Bridges's, Ruby's younger brother's, death inspired her to establish the Ruby Bridges Foundation. She is currently a promoter of education and helps educate destitute, orphaned, and needy children.
Was Ruby Bridges a good leader? ›
What made Ruby Bridges an inspiring leader was that she was so young, and being that age people thought if she could do it they could as well. Most importantly, she wanted change, she wanted to be equal. As said in the quote above her actions became a shared effort, vision, and success.
What is Ruby Bridges' favorite color? ›
The museum provides virtual museum tours and programs. Learn more about Ruby Bridges and her work by visiting the Ruby Bridges Foundation. Wear purple! It's Ruby's favorite color.
What are Ruby Bridges' character traits? ›
The main character in this story demonstrates courage, compassion and determination. When Mrs. Henry questioned Ruby about talking to the people in the mob, Ruby responded, “I didn't stop and talk to them. I was praying for them.” Ruby's conversation with her teacher, Mrs.
What did Ruby Bridges hope for? ›
Advocacy for Education: Throughout her life, Ruby Bridges has been a vocal advocate for quality education for all children. In 1999, she founded the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which promotes student tolerance, respect, and unity.
How were Ruby Bridges resilient? ›
Despite facing virulent racism and hostility from segregationist mobs, Bridges displayed remarkable courage and resilience, walking past angry crowds every day to attend school. Her bravery not only paved the way for generations of students but also sparked a national conversation about racial equality and justice.
What did both Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges believe in and support? ›
Both Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges believed in and supported the principles of equality, justice, and civil rights. Martin Luther King Jr. was a prominent leader of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
