Ruby Bridges for Kids
Brave student!
On September 8, 1954, a very special baby girl was born in a small town called Tylertown, Mississippi. Her name was Ruby Nell Bridges! 👶🏾✨ Ruby's parents, Abon and Lucille Bridges, were so happy to welcome their first child. They lived in a simple but cozy home surrounded by cotton fields. Even though life wasn't always easy, Ruby's family had something very important: love, hope, and a strong belief in education. "This little girl is going to do something amazing one day," Ruby's grandmother would say, holding baby Ruby close. Ruby was born during a time when unfair rules called "segregation" separated Black people and white people. Black children couldn't go to the same schools as white children, and many other places were separated too. Ruby's parents knew these rules were wrong, and they hoped the world would change for their daughter.
Fun facts about Ruby Bridges
- Ruby was born the same year the Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional in Brown v. Board of Education!
- Ruby's father worked as a gas station attendant and her mother cleaned houses at night - they sacrificed everything for their children!
- Only six Black children in all of New Orleans passed the test - Ruby was one of them! Two other girls were assigned to a different school.
- Ruby thought the crowd was celebrating Mardi Gras at first - she didn't understand they were there to protest against her!
- Artist Norman Rockwell painted Ruby's walk to school in a famous painting called 'The Problem We All Live With' - you can see it in museums!
What your child will learn
- Learn about Ruby Bridges
- Be inspired
- Value heritage
Read the full illustrated story of Ruby Bridges
The complete lesson has a page-by-page illustrated story and a playful quiz— plus 28 more heroes and hundreds of lessons. Start free, no card needed.
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