The Impact of Ruby Bridges on the United

The Impact of Ruby Bridges on the United States & the Civil Rights Movement Nyjai L. Taliaferro

Ruby’s Story / Ruby was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi. Like any other African American family during this decade, Ruby and her family were looked down upon. When Ruby was about four years old, her family moved from Tylertown to New Orleans. / The judge ordered Ruby to attend Frantz Elementary School for Whites. She was the first black child to walk into Frantz Elementary School. / The day Ruby had to go to school, she was escorted by Federal Marshals, in doing so, an angry crowd of white parents were outside the school doors chanting, "twofour-six-eight, we don't want to integrate. "

Ruby’s Story Cont. . / / When Ruby finally stepped into the school, at the age of six, it was almost empty. Some of the white parents took their children out of school, because they didn't want their child to have to deal with a little black child. White people thought that black or any other race shouldn't be treated as equals. Some white people threatened to poison Ruby and hurt her and her family if she went to their school. Her dad lost his job because his boss didn't think that someone should be working for him if his child was going to an all-white school. Unlike most of the white parents, some still took their kids to school and it didn't matter to them who was their, too.

/ After the winter break, Ruby started seeing a child psychiatrist (Dr. Coles). /He got interested in Ruby by seeing her go into school with the Marshals surrounding her and how she dealt with it all. /Ruby's family suffered a great deal because of her attending Frantz Elementary School for Whites. Besides her father losing his job, her grandparents lost their place as tenant farmers, and her family was threatened.

/Research question: How did the actions of Ruby Bridges shape the history of the Civil Rights Movement and the United States? /Thesis: Ruby Bridges help to break the barrier of segregation by becoming the first black child in an all white school. She is an influential symbol of the U. S. and helped them revolt against discrimination and segregation.

Ruby’s Achievements / She established a foundation called "The Ruby Bridges Foundation" and its motto is "RACISM is a grown-up disease. Lets STOP using kids to spread it. " The foundation exists to encourage people to stop being racist and stop the injustices from happening again. / She has a school named after her, “Ruby Bridges Elementary School” in California. / She became an honorary deputy marshal at a Washington, D. C. , art gallery that featured an exhibit of paintings by the artist who made her famous when she was younger.

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Why I Chose this Topic /To me, this the story of Ruby Bridges is one of the most important events in the Civil Rights Movement. /This event is also somewhat relatable.

My Learning Outcome I learned more about what Ruby Bridges is doing now, after becoming a Civil Rights Movement icon. / /Today, Ruby has spoken at conferences, telling people about her experience not too long ago. She informs people about segregation, and why everyone should be treated equal. She's achieved peoples' respect across the nation /Ruby Bridges School of Community Service & Social Justice

Works Cited Bridges, Ruby. "The Education of Ruby Nell. " Ruby Bridges. Guidepost, n. d. Web. 6 Apr 2013. "Ruby Bridges. " Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. , 2013. Web. 08 Apr. 2013. <http: //www. britannica. com/EBchecked/topic/1511746/Ruby-Bridges>. Shay, Allison. "Remembering Ruby Bridges. " Publishing the Long Civil Rights Movement. N. p. , 14 Nov 2012. Web. 7 Apr 2013. Bridges, Ruby. I Am Ruby Bridges. New York : Scholastic Inc. , 2009. Bridges, Ruby. Through My Eyes. New York : Scholastic Press, 1999. Lambert, Laura J. , Ruby Bridges, in Doris Weatherford, ed. , A History of Women in the United States: State-by-State Reference (Scholastic, 2003), Vol. 2, p. 118.