Our Black History Moment

Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges (born September 8, 1954) is an American civil rights activist. On November 14, 1960, she was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the subject of a 1964 painting, "The Problem We All Live With" by Norman Rockwell. Ruby recalls seeing the angry crowds at the school, and having to be escorted to and from school by U.S. Marshals. Every teacher refused to teach in the school except for one who taught Ruby alone in class. Ruby received death threats to include threatening to poison her food. Former United States Deputy Marshal Charles Burks later recalled, "She showed a lot of courage. She never cried. She didn't whimper. She just marched along like a little soldier, and we're all very very proud of her." 

Bridges, now Ruby still lives in New Orleans with her husband, Malcolm Hall, and their four sons. She is now chair of the "Ruby Bridges Foundation", which she formed in 1999 to promote "the values of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences".

On July 15, 2011, Bridges met with President Barack Obama at the White House, and while viewing the Norman Rockwell painting of her on display he told her, "I think it's fair to say that if it hadn't been for you guys, I might not be here and we wouldn't be looking at this together".