Ruby Bridges: A Symbol Of The Civil Rights Movement

In 1960, a 6-year-old girl by the name of Ruby Bridges became a powerful symbol of the Civil Rights Movement when she began attending the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans. November 14, 1960 was the day Bridges’ was escorted by federal marshals into William Frantz. She spent her first day of school in the principal’s office, but when she did begin classes, she was the only student in her class because white families had withdrawn their children from the school. By December 5, 1960, only eighteen other children attended William Frantz. Bridges spent her entire first grade year receiving one-on-one instruction from Barbara Henry a white teacher who was at that time new to the school. By the beginning of second grade the
protestors were gone and the classes were officially integrated.
Not only did Bridges suffer from the struggles of integration, her family did also. They were warned to avoid many public places such as neighborhood stores and her father Abon was fired from his job making money sparse. But many sympathetic citizens from across the country sent the family money and other gifts to help them get by. Ruby Bridges also received a letter of support from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.