Celebrating Ruby Bridges Day
Middle School students assembled early on November 18, to walk in support of "Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day," an event that celebrates the courageous actions of a young African American girl who was a trailblazer for school integration and inclusion.
This annual walk is sponsored by the San Mateo County Office of Education which explains:
"Ruby Bridges was six years old when she integrated an all-white school in New Orleans. She showed up for school every day, ready to learn even though she had to walk past crowds of protestors screaming vicious slurs at her. Ruby spent her first day in the principal’s office due to the chaos created as angry white parents pulled their children from school. Ardent segregationists withdrew their children permanently. Barbara Henry, a white Boston native, was the only teacher willing to accept Ruby, and all year, she was a class of one. Ruby ate lunch alone and sometimes played with her teacher at recess, but she never missed a day of school that year."
"Ruby made a lasting impact on the Civil Rights Movement and paved the way for future generations of students of color. Her courage inspired a group of 5th graders from South San Francisco, and with the help of the school district, they created Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day."