Author : Ruby Bridges

I was the first black child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana in 1960. – Ruby Bridges

Every day, I would show up, and there were no kids, just me and my teacher in my classroom. Every day, I would be escorted by marshals past a mob of people protesting and boycotting the school. This went on for a whole year. – Ruby Bridges

I remember turning onto the street. I saw barricades and police officers and, just, people everywhere. When I saw all of that, I immediately thought that it was Mardi Gras. I had no idea that they were here to keep me out of the school. – Ruby Bridges

When I think about our babies today and them not being safe in school, I think that should be the next civil rights movement, you know, is to ban the assault weapons so that our babies can be safe. – Ruby Bridges