Civil Rights Activists: Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges speaking at Algiers Point temporary branch library in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo by: Infrogmation of

New Orleans.

Synposis: When she was 6 years old, Ruby Bridges became the first African-American

child to attend a white Southern elementary school. Bridges' courage paved the way for

continued action in the civil rights movement. This movement wanted equal rights for

blacks.

Early Life

Ruby Nell Bridges was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi. She grew up

on the farm her parents and grandparents worked on in Mississippi. When she was 4 years

old, her parents, Abon and Lucille Bridges, moved to New Orleans.

When Bridges was in kindergarten, she was chosen to take a test. The test would

determine whether or not she could attend a white school. Bridges lived only five blocks

from an all-white school, but attended kindergarten several miles away, at an all-black

segregated school.

Her father believed that if she passed the test and was allowed to go to the white school,

there would be trouble. Her mother, however, pressed the issue and convinced her father

to let her take the test.

By Biography.com Editors and A+E Networks, adapted by Newsela staff on 08.17.16

Word Count 782

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Guarded By Police

In 1960, Bridges' parents were told that she was one of only six African-American students

to pass the test. Bridges would attend William Frantz Elementary School. This would make

her the first black child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South.

On the morning of November 14, 1960, federal officers drove Bridges and her mother five

blocks to her new school. Large crowds of people met them in front, yelling and throwing

objects. Policemen stood guard everywhere. When Bridges entered the school under the

protection of the officers, she was immediately taken to the principal's office and spent the

entire day there. Nearly all the parents at the school had kept their children home, so

classes weren't going to be held.

Isolated At School

The second day was much the same as the first. Only one teacher, Barbara Henry, agreed

to teach Bridges. "Mrs. Henry," as Bridges would call her even as an adult, greeted her

with open arms. Bridges was the only student in Henry's class, because parents had

threatened to pull their children from her class and send them to other schools. For a full

year, Henry and Bridges sat side by side at two desks, working on Bridges' lessons. Henry

helped Bridges not only with her studies but also with the difficult experience of being kept

away from the other students.

Bridges' first few weeks at William Frantz School were not easy. People made racist

remarks and threatened her. She was not allowed to go to the cafeteria or out to recess to

be with other students in the school, and when she had to go to the restroom the officers

walked her down the hall. Years later, one of the officers commented that Bridges had

shown a lot of courage.

Bridges' family suffered as well. Her father lost his job at the filling station, and her

grandparents were sent off the land they had worked on for over 25 years. But slowly,

many families began to send their children back to the school, and the protests eventually

stopped.

Overcoming Challenges

Near the end of the first year, things began to settle down. A few white children in Bridges'

grade returned to the school. By her second year at William Frantz School it seemed

everything had changed. There were no more federal officers. Bridges walked to school

every day by herself. There were other students in her second grade class, and the school

began to fill with students again. No one talked about the past year. It seemed everyone

wanted to put the experience behind them.

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Bridges finished grade school. She then graduated from Francis T. Nicholls High School in

New Orleans. Later, she worked for American Express as a world travel agent. In 1984,

Bridges married Malcolm Hall. She eventually became a full-time parent to their four sons.

Recent Work

In 1993, Bridges' youngest brother, Malcolm Bridges, died. For a while, she looked after

his four daughters, who attended William Frantz School. Bridges began to volunteer at the

school three days a week.

Through Bridges' work at the school, she started to see a need to bring parents back into

schools, where they could play an active part in their children's education. In 1999,

Bridges formed the Ruby Bridges Foundation, based in New Orleans. The foundation

promotes tolerance, respect and appreciation of all differences. Through education, the

foundation seeks to end racism and discrimination. As its motto goes, "Racism is a grown-

up disease and we must stop using our children to spread it."

In 2001, Bridges was awarded the Presidential Citizen's Award by President Bill Clinton for

her courage and commitment to equal educational rights.

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Quiz

1 Read the section "Isolated At School."

Select the paragraph that shows that Ruby had less freedom at school than the white children.

2 Which sentence from the section "Overcoming Challenges" BEST shows that the school

gradually integrated?

(A) A few white children in Bridges' grade returned to the school.

(B) There were other students in her second grade class, and the school began

to fill with students again.

(C) She then graduated from Francis T. Nicholls High School in New Orleans.

(D) Later, she worked for American Express as a world travel agent.

3 Which answer choice BEST describes how Ruby's father first reacted to his daughter attending

an all-white school?

(A) He was nervous that Ruby would not be able to complete the classwork.

(B) He thought that Ruby would not like her new teachers at the white school.

(C) He was worried that Ruby would be unsafe at the white school.

(D) He wondered if the family would be forced to move if Ruby attended school.

4 Which answer choice BEST describes Ruby Bridges' adult life?

(A) She was committed to teaching children tolerance and respect for all

people.

(B) She took care of her younger brother's daughters after his death.

(C) She spent most of her time volunteering at William Frantz School.

(D) She became involved in politics and received a Presidential Citizen's Award.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4