Ruby Bridges

Illustrated by: Ashley Garza

My hero is someone who has left our world, but has inspired my abilities as a young woman. She has proved to me that everyone should be treated with an equal amount of respect. Thanks to her, she has made me understand the meaning of the word respect.

On the morning of her first day at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, her mother kissed Ruby good-bye and told her not to be afraid because at her school there were many people throwing things outside. Ruby must have thought that the people were crazy. As soon as she walked into her school, she seemed to remember her mother’s words. She entered the school without showing any fear in spite of the fact that there were U.S. marshals walking beside her and she was the first black child to attend an all-white school in the history of the American South. Ruby's father thought she could get a perfectly good education at an all-black school, but her mother insisted that her daughter pave the way for other black children.

Ruby is walking with her mother and U.S. marshals (gooogle.com)

Charles Burks, one of the U.S marshals who escorted Ruby and her mother into the school building, remembers the little girl who became a hero. She showed a lot of courage. She never cried, she did not whimper. She just marched around like a little soldier. And we were all very proud of her.

The first year, all the parents of Franz Elementary pulled their children out of school to protest integration. As a result, Ruby spent her time in a classroom alone. The teacher, a woman from Boston, was one of the few white instructors willing to teach a black child. She and Ruby showed up for school every single day of the year. Whether there was an angry mob outside or nobody outside, they still held class no matter what.

Ruby's family suffered from the bigotry of the times. Her father lost his job as a result of the controversy. The Bridges gathered together, and friends would come in the morning to help Ruby get ready for school, or walk her to her classroom.

By now, nobody can deny the heroism of Ruby Bridges. She has taught us that school can bring people and kids of all backgrounds together.

The most important thing is that she is my hero because she brought all schools together. If she would not have done that for us, we would not have friends. The world would not be as diverse as it is today.