SS05 StoryReels
Ruby Bridges — Courage and Civil Rights
On November 14, 1960, a six-year-old girl in a white dress walked into an all-white school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her name was Ruby Bridges. She was the first Black child to attend William Frantz Elementary School — and her courage helped change American history.
Ruby arrived at the school surrounded by US federal marshals who protected her from angry crowds outside. Inside, she was placed in a classroom with Barbara Henry, one of the very few adults who treated her with kindness and respect.
Ruby's courage showed the world that children have rights too — including the right to a good education. Her walk into that school was part of the larger civil rights movement that worked to make America fairer for all people. Today Ruby Bridges runs a foundation that teaches children about equality.
| Then (1960) | Today |
|---|---|
| 6-year-old student | Founder of the Ruby Bridges Foundation |
| Integrated one school | Teaches thousands of children about equality |
| Needed federal protection | Honored as a civil rights hero |