Ruby Nell Bridges is the daughter of Abon and Lucille Bridges. Ruby was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi. When Ruby Bridges was 4 years old her parents and she moved to New Orleans. Her Parents moved to New Orleans, Louisiana hoping for a better life for their family. Both of her parents got jobs. Her mom got jobs in the night. Her dad got his job as a service station attendant. Ruby's parents worked hard to try to maintain their family because Ruby's parent then had three kids’ two boys and a girl.
In 1960, Ruby Bridges took a test with other black kindergarteners to see who would go to an integrated school. Ruby Bridges then had passed her test which meant she had to go to William Frantz Elementary to start first grade there. In that time William Frantz Elementary was an all white school. Ruby Bridges mom was excited about it because her mother thought it would be a great opportunity for her. Ruby Bridges that wasn't up for it.Soon, then Ruby Bridges mom convinced Mr. Bridges.
On November 14, 1960 All the Black kids from New Orleans who had passed their test had to go to an all-white school. Ruby Bridges was the only one going to William Frantz Elementary School. In the Morning of November 14, 1960 fourteen federal guards drove Ruby Bridges and her mom to the Elementary School which was five blocks away from their house.
Four marshals escorted Ruby Bridges and her mom. Two federal guards where behind Ruby and two where in front her. When Ruby and her mom where escorted there where many people screaming many horrible things to at them. This inspired Norman Rockwell so he painted a picture of Ruby Bridges Ruby and her mom spent the day at the principal’s office. The next day a woman threatened her to poison Ruby. There was also a woman that welcomed her with a black doll inside a coffin. When Ruby entered the school she meets her teacher who was Mrs. Henry. Sadly that day Ruby's mom couldn't stay with her because she had to take care of her younger siblings. Every day there where many people in crowds protesting.
There weren't any kids in ruby's classroom because their parents didn't want them close to Ruby Bridges because she was black. Therefore her father got fired just because she attended an all white school. Not only did her father suffer her grandparents also did because the owner of the land asked them to move to another place. People from around the country who heard about Ruby Bridges on the news sent letters and donations. Therefore a neighbor gave her dad a job painting houses. Other folks baby-sat Ruby Bridges and her siblings. They also watched the Bridges' house to keep away troublemakers. Other people even walked behind the marshal's car. Ruby Bridges loved her Teacher Mrs. Henry that without her knowing she had picked up her teachers Boston accent.
Another person that Ruby Bridges admired was Dr. Robert Coles which was her psychiatrist. Who then started to visit her to check on how she was doing. He even wrote a book about her.Then the whole school year had passed. Ruby expected for Mrs. Henry to be her teacher once again. Sadly whenever Ruby came back to school Mrs. Henry wasn't there. Everything was different for her because there weren't any marshals, no protestors. There were other kids even some other black students in her second-grade class. Ruby then found out why Mrs. Henry wasn't there. Mrs. Henry wasn't there because she moved with her husband to Boston.
Ruby then finished grade school at William Frantz and graduated from an integrated high school. She went to business school and studied travel and tourism. For 15 years she worked as a travel agent. Then soon she got married to Malcolm Hall in New Orleans in 1984. Ruby then had four boys. Sadly Ruby's youngest brother died in 1993. She had to take care of her brothers children. In 1995 The Story of Ruby Bridges was published.
In 2011 Ruby Bridges visited the Oval Office on July 15, with President Obama. Ruby Biridges now on her own time goes and visits schools and talks bout her life.
In 1960, Ruby Bridges took a test with other black kindergarteners to see who would go to an integrated school. Ruby Bridges then had passed her test which meant she had to go to William Frantz Elementary to start first grade there. In that time William Frantz Elementary was an all white school. Ruby Bridges mom was excited about it because her mother thought it would be a great opportunity for her. Ruby Bridges that wasn't up for it.Soon, then Ruby Bridges mom convinced Mr. Bridges.
On November 14, 1960 All the Black kids from New Orleans who had passed their test had to go to an all-white school. Ruby Bridges was the only one going to William Frantz Elementary School. In the Morning of November 14, 1960 fourteen federal guards drove Ruby Bridges and her mom to the Elementary School which was five blocks away from their house.
Four marshals escorted Ruby Bridges and her mom. Two federal guards where behind Ruby and two where in front her. When Ruby and her mom where escorted there where many people screaming many horrible things to at them. This inspired Norman Rockwell so he painted a picture of Ruby Bridges Ruby and her mom spent the day at the principal’s office. The next day a woman threatened her to poison Ruby. There was also a woman that welcomed her with a black doll inside a coffin. When Ruby entered the school she meets her teacher who was Mrs. Henry. Sadly that day Ruby's mom couldn't stay with her because she had to take care of her younger siblings. Every day there where many people in crowds protesting.
There weren't any kids in ruby's classroom because their parents didn't want them close to Ruby Bridges because she was black. Therefore her father got fired just because she attended an all white school. Not only did her father suffer her grandparents also did because the owner of the land asked them to move to another place. People from around the country who heard about Ruby Bridges on the news sent letters and donations. Therefore a neighbor gave her dad a job painting houses. Other folks baby-sat Ruby Bridges and her siblings. They also watched the Bridges' house to keep away troublemakers. Other people even walked behind the marshal's car. Ruby Bridges loved her Teacher Mrs. Henry that without her knowing she had picked up her teachers Boston accent.
Another person that Ruby Bridges admired was Dr. Robert Coles which was her psychiatrist. Who then started to visit her to check on how she was doing. He even wrote a book about her.Then the whole school year had passed. Ruby expected for Mrs. Henry to be her teacher once again. Sadly whenever Ruby came back to school Mrs. Henry wasn't there. Everything was different for her because there weren't any marshals, no protestors. There were other kids even some other black students in her second-grade class. Ruby then found out why Mrs. Henry wasn't there. Mrs. Henry wasn't there because she moved with her husband to Boston.
Ruby then finished grade school at William Frantz and graduated from an integrated high school. She went to business school and studied travel and tourism. For 15 years she worked as a travel agent. Then soon she got married to Malcolm Hall in New Orleans in 1984. Ruby then had four boys. Sadly Ruby's youngest brother died in 1993. She had to take care of her brothers children. In 1995 The Story of Ruby Bridges was published.
In 2011 Ruby Bridges visited the Oval Office on July 15, with President Obama. Ruby Biridges now on her own time goes and visits schools and talks bout her life.
