Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist and was the first Black child to attend a white school. On November 14th, 1960, a young Ruby Bridges walked to her new school, accompanied by two government agents and her mother. This moment would change the US significantly forever. 

When the Brown v. Board of Education case led the Supreme Court to end school segregation under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, many states weren’t pleased with the ruling, especially in the South. New Orleans decided to make it possible, just extremely difficult for a Black child to be admitted to a white school. It was so hard that only 3 or 4 children passed. One of these children was Ruby Bridges.

On her first day of school, Ruby Bridges woke up not expecting anything that was going to happen that day. After she ate breakfast, some government agents arrived at the door and escorted her and her mother to her new school, William Frantz Elementary. When she arrived, Ruby found an angry mob shouting threats and insults, one woman even going so far as to threaten to poison her. As a result, she was only allowed to eat meals she brought from home.

On the first day, most parents withdrew their children from the school, and all the teachers left. Only one teacher, Barbara Henry, stayed. The day after, a *Methodist priest took his 5-year-old daughter into the school, saying, ”I just want the privilege of giving my child an education!”
Thereafter, more and more parents and teachers caved, and eventually the school almost retained its original population. When Ruby was eventually allowed on the playground, she asked a boy if he wanted to play. He denied, saying that his father told him that she’s dirty and that he’s not allowed to play with her. 

This is when she figured out about the racism problem. She would later grow up to become a civil rights activist who speaks about how people use their children to spread hate and how no child should go through that. She still speaks publicly today and has written the book “Through My Eyes”. Have a happy Black History Month!

*Methodism is a branch of Christianity that has ideals based on personal faith, scriptural holiness, social justice, and a methodical approach to living out Christian discipleship.

CITATIONS: Ruby Bridges—Wikipedia