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Racial Segregation Outlawed in Public Schools
The Supreme Court ruled that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in Brown vs. Board. Yet, Southern States continued to resist integration. -
Ruby Bridges is born
Ruby Bridges (the oldest of 8 siblings) was born in Tylertown, Mississippi to Lucille and Abon Bridges -
Move to New Orleans
At 4 years old, Ruby and her family moved from Mississippi to New Orleans, where Ruby would begin school -
Ruby begins Kindergarten
When Ruby began school, the segregation laws were still not strictly followed, and she started kindergarten in a segregated all-black school. -
Federal court ordered Louisiana to desegregate
Once the federal court forces Louisiana to desegregate, an entrance exam was created for African American students to determine if they could compete academically with the White students. Ruby Bridges and 5 other students passed the test and were selected to enroll in school. While her father was originally opposed to the idea and feared for her safety, her mom insisted that Ruby gets the education they were deprived of. -
Ruby's first day
As protestors lined the street leading up to the school,
Ruby was escorted by 4 federal marshals into the building. Even though Ruby spent her first day of school in the principal's office while white families protested and disenrolled their children, by entering the doors of William Frantz Elementary School, Ruby Bridges became the first Black child to desegregate an all-white school. -
Meeting Barbra Hennery
On the second day of school, every teacher refused to teach Ms. Bridges, all except one. Barbra Hennery was the only teacher to accept Ruby and began working with her in a vacant room where they would spend the rest of the year learning. For the remainder of the year, Ruby Bridges never missed a day of school. -
The Problem We All Live With
Ruby Bridges' bravery inspired many artists of the time. Norman Rockwell in particular depicted Ruby walking into school on that first day in his painting, The Problem We All Live With. -
Graduated High School
In 1972, Ruby Bridges graduated from a desegrated High School -
Working at Frantz
Later in her life, Ruby began working as a parent liaison at William Frantz Elementary which has become an all-black school since she originally attended -
Writing her memoir
Ruby Bridge's memoir Through My Eyes was published in 1999, depicting her story and offering insight into the mind of the 6-year-old who became the first African American to desegregate schools. -
Children's book
In 2009, she published the children’s book, Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story so her story can be accessible to the generations