Ruby Bridges Free Printables and Lessons for Black History Month at TeacherKarma.com
Ruby Bridges was a small six-year-old girl that made a huge impact that most American students take for granted today…attending public school.

Ruby played a major role in the civil rights movement in America.


After checking my dates and details, here is the information I put together on Ruby Bridges.  This can also be found in a printable form in my Ruby Bridges Printables {full-product download}.


…KEEP READING… Freebie below.

“Ruby Bridges was the very first African American child to attend an all-white elementary school in the South.  Ruby was only six years old when she bravely helped to integrate black students into white schools in the United States.
Ruby was born on September 8, 1954, in Tylertown, Mississippi.  The family moved from Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana, when Ruby was only one year old.  Segregation laws kept black children from attending school with white children.  During this period of time in the United States, African Americans did not have the same rights as white Americans.
On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges helped to change history for all people.  The Supreme Court had previously ruled that all schools in the United States must desegregate and allow black and white children to attend school together.   Ruby helped to change history on November 14, 1960.  When Ruby was just a first grader, she enrolled at the William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The brave Ruby was required to pass a difficult test before attending the elementary school.  She was required to take the test because the state of Louisiana said that African American students must pass a test before they were able to enroll in any white school.  Many schools in the south were still trying to keep black students out of white schools.  At this time, only six African American students were able to pass the difficult test and attend a white school.
 
Ruby’s mother was happy that she was accepted to go to the all-white elementary school because she felt that Ruby would have an opportunity to get a better education.  Ruby’s father had concerns.  He was worried that Ruby would have a difficult time making friends and that she may even be injured by someone that didn’t agree with her attending the school.
 
The big day was finally in right front of Ruby.  On November 14, 1960, Ruby and her mother were driven to school by federal marshals.  Ruby was greeted by a huge crowd of angry people.  Behind barricades, the crowd was shouting and carrying signs to show they were unhappy with the black girl attending a white school.  Some of the angry people even threw things at Ruby and her mother.  The police officers helped Ruby to enter the school.  Ruby Bridges was now the first black student to enroll in a segregated school in the South.
 
Many teachers did not want to work with Ruby.  Only one white teacher, Mrs. Henry, agreed to teach Ruby.  Mrs. Henry took a very special interest in Ruby and made a great effort to see that she was given the same opportunities as the white students in her elementary school.
 
Ruby cleared the way for other African American children to integrate and attend public schools in the South.  Her courageous actions will always be honored and remembered by Americans.  President Bill Clinton awarded Ruby Bridges the Presidential Citizens Medal for her powerful impact on the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

Thank you, Ruby Bridges.”
Ruby Bridges Free Printables and Lessons for Black History Month at TeacherKarma.com
To get your FREE Ruby Bridges printables:
  • Facts About Ruby
  • Ruby Bridges Journal Paper
 
If this FREE resource is a good fit for you and your classroom, please click here to see my full-product download.
 
Ruby Bridges Free Printables and Lessons for Black History Month at TeacherKarma.com


Best wishes!

Jen

1 Comment on Ruby Bridges FREEBIE: Facts About Ruby and Journal Paper

Let me know what you think HERE.