Ruby Bridges: Get to Know the Girl Who Took a Stand for Education

By M. Michelle Derosier

Ruby Bridges was just six years old when she was chosen to be the first (and only) black child in the all-white William Frantz Elementary School. At the time, Ruby was too young to understand how the simple act of attending school would change the lives of many to come. Her courageous act left the legacy that given a chance, anyone at any age can make a difference in the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
• Release date: May 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781496641182

Book preview

People You Should Know: Ruby Bridges by M. Michelle Derosier

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover

Title Page

Chapter 1: The First Day

Chapter 2: Ruby’s Roots

Chapter 3: Brown v. Board of Education

Chapter 4: A Long Walk

Chapter 5: All Alone

Glossary

Read More

Critical Thinking Questions

Index

Copyright

Back Cover

1

THE FIRST DAY

There were no happy faces to welcome six-year-old Ruby Bridges to her first day at William Frantz Elementary School. But there were federal marshals—and a crowd.

Two, four, six, eight, we don’t want to integrate, the crowd chanted. Some of them threw things at Ruby and her mother, Lucille. Others tried to block the entrance to the school. Ruby made it through the doors, but it wasn’t much better when she got inside. No students talked to Ruby. No teachers welcomed her to class. And parents pulled their children out of school throughout the day. Over five hundred kids left school that day,¹ Ruby said later.

Until November 14, 1960, William Frantz had been an all-white school. Ruby was the first African American student to attend. She didn’t understand it at the time, but she