Every day you walk into school. It may seem like an ordinary action. You’ve done it hundreds of times. Yet for one six-year-old girl, stepping into school was an act of bravery. Ruby Bridges became the first Black student in her school. And her courage changed history.
Ruby Bridges was born in 1954. That year was a turning point for the United States. Before then, many cities had separate schools for Black and white students. But in 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that public schools could no longer be . That decision was from a case called Brown v. Board of Education. Some southern states still separated students by their skin color, though. In 1959, Bridges attended an all-Black kindergarten.
By 1960, it was finally time for all-white schools to integrate. That included the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. But who would be the first Black student to walk through its doors? With four law officers to keep her safe, Ruby Bridges bravely marched toward the school.
Some people didn’t want a Black girl to attend this school. They were very upset about it. Crowds of angry people yelled at Ruby as she headed to the building. Some even threw things at her! But Ruby showed the world her courage as she entered William Frantz Elementary School.
Ruby spent her first day in her new school in the principal’s office. It wasn’t safe for her to attend class. The days that followed weren’t much easier. Many parents pulled their children out of the school because Ruby was there. Only one teacher — Barbara Henry — agreed to teach a Black child. So, for a long time, Ruby was the only student in her class.
But Ruby never stopped going to school. She believed in the importance of education, and she didn’t miss a single day of first grade. Ruby showed incredible courage. And her bravery helped pave the way for other children of all colors to attend school together.
As she grew up, Bridges continued her work for . In 1999, she created the Ruby Bridges to promote through education. Bridges also wrote books about her life, including one in 2022 called I Am Ruby Bridges. In that picture book, she spoke about the deeper meaning of her name. She wrote the words from her perspective as a six-year-old girl.
“When I grow up, my work will be precious. I will be a bridge.
I will bridge the gap between Black and white… and hopefully between all people.”
Updated March 1, 2024, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
