Happy 60th birthday to Ruby Bridges! As a six-year-old,
Ruby Bridges famously became the first African
American child to desegregate an all-white elementary
school in the South. When the 1st grader walked to
William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans on
November 14, 1960 surrounded by a team of U.S.
Marshals, she was met by a vicious mob shouting and
throwing objects at her.
One of the federal marshals, Charles Burks, who
served on her escort team, recalls Bridges' courage in
the face of such hatred: "For a little girl six years old
going into a strange school with four strange deputy
marshals, a place she had never been before, she
showed a lot of courage. She never cried. She didn't
whimper. She just marched along like a little soldier.
We were all very proud of her."
Once Ruby entered the school, she discovered that it
was devoid of children because they had all been
removed by their parents due to her presence. The
only teacher willing to have Ruby as a student was
Barbara Henry, who had recently moved from Boston.
Ruby was taught by herself for her first year at the
school due to the white parents' refusal to have their
children share a classroom with a black child.
Despite daily harassment, which required the federal
marshals to continue escorting her to school for
months; threats towards her family; and her father's
job loss due to his family's role in school integration,
Ruby persisted in attending school. The following year,
when she returned for second grade, the mobs were
gone and more African American students joined her
at the school. The pioneering school integration effort
was a success due to Ruby Bridges' inspiring courage,
perseverance, and resilience.
If you'd like to share Ruby Bridge’s inspiring story with
the children in your life, there are several excellent
books about her story including the wonderful picture
book "The Story Of Ruby Bridges" for ages 4 to 8
( http://www.amightygirl.com/the-story-of-ruby-
bridges), the early chapter book "Ruby Bridges Goes to
Story" for ages 5 to 8 (http://www.amightygirl.com/
ruby-bridges-goes-to-school), and the highly
recommended memoir that Ruby Bridges wrote for
young readers 6 to 12 entitled "Through My
Eyes" ( http://www.amightygirl.com/through-my-eyes).
There is also an inspiring film about her story called
"Ruby Bridges" for viewers 7 and up ( http://
www.amightygirl.com/ruby-bridges) -- you can also
watch it instantly on Amazon at http://amzn.to/WOOvgY
To give young readers more insight into the school
integration struggle, Nobel Prize-winning author, Toni
Morrison, has written an outstanding book, that's filled
with photos capturing the major desegregation events
of the period, entitled "Remember: The Journey to
School Integration" -- for ages 9 and up -- at http://
www.amightygirl.com/remember
To introduce young people to the Civil Rights
Movement and its courageous activists, we've compiled
over 30 books for children and teens in our special
feature on the "Top Mighty Girl Books on Civil Rights
History" at http://www.amightygirl.com/mighty-girl-pick
s/civil-rights-history
For Civil Rights Movement-themed books for readers 4
to 8, we recommend "I Am Rosa Parks" ( http://
www.amightygirl.com/i-am-rosa-parks-1), "Freedom on
the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins" (http://
www.amightygirl.com/freedom-on-the-menu), "White
Socks Only" (http://www.amightygirl.com/white-socks-
only), and "Child of the Civil Rights Movement" (http://
www.amightygirl.com/child-of-the-civil-rights-movem
ent ).
For older readers, we recommend "Warriors Don't Cry:
A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock's
Central High" for 12 and up ( http://www.amightygirl.
com/warriors-don-t-cry), "Rosa Parks: My Story" for
ages 9 to 13 (http://www.amightygirl.com/rosa-parks-
my-story), "The Lions of Little Rock" for ages 9 to 13
(http://www.amightygirl.com/the-lions-of-little-rock),
and "Fire From The Rock" for 12 and up (http://
www.amightygirl.com/fire-from-the-rock).
For Mighty Girl stories for children and teens that
explore racial discrimination and prejudice, visit http://
www.amightygirl.com/books/social-issues/prejudice-
discrimination?cat=71

A picture of how dis great & daring lady looks like would've helped,thanks
Sorry to burst your bubble but today isn't her birthday

Toeh

nedu2000:
A picture of how dis great & daring lady looks like would've helped,thanks
Sorry to burst your bubble but today isn't her birthday

whatever. She is sixty now, but then it isn't about her birthday but about what she started otherwise this would have been posted in celebrities or events section.

I can smell the fp from a million miles.

This post must hit the fp.

Brave girl.

But op you should have post her pics na.

mcdokwe:
whatever. She is sixty now, but then it isn't about her birthday but about what she started otherwise this would have been posted in celebrities or events section.

of course,ur post made me go 'like' her facebook page and is quite motivational but you should edit ur post,no one likes to be misinformed

nedu2000:
of course,ur post made me go 'like' her facebook page and is quite motivational but you should edit ur post,no one likes to be misinformed

ok, but incase you don't know it was copied and pasted as I didn't know such a person existed, and as such can't edit

the girl with a lion heart

Thas nothing.. I remember attendin primary school in the states.. Fresh of the boat from 9ja. Class full of white kids n me bein not only black but african!??

Talk about fish out of water, how did I ever survive? *slips into whimsical remembrance* sigh....


Mad respect to this lady tho

I had watch the movie & all I can say was a brave experience from her.

Happy birthday rubyatu

So dry without pictures of the said lady. Op pls getalyf.

so how does that improve the economic situation of nigeria

I dey come

Here she is

Slonge2:
I can smell the fp from a million miles.

This post must hit the fp.

For where? Its too long and scattered to make FP.

Inspiring

Mtchhewww
meanwhile more black teenagers are being shot indiscriminately.

fr3do:
Mtchhewww
meanwhile more black teenagers are being shot indiscriminately

by other black teenagers

Wow, she's a beauty. Hbd

Gee001:
Wow, she's a beauty. Hbd

happy birthday to you.... ur face seems familiar, is ur name by any chance Gloria?