Ruby Bridges Paragraph

“Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and begin the trail. When you start a new trail equipped with courage, strength, and conviction, the only thing that can stop you is you!” (Ruby Bridges) During the 1960s, many people were choosing sides on social issues. One major issue of the decade was the Civil Rights movement. The southern states operated under the idea of separate but equal. This included white only water fountains, bathrooms and restaurants. Additionally, black children attended separate schools which were often falling apart and included limited resources. When looking at the history of the United States, specifically the desegregation of schools in the South, Ruby Bridges was the bravest girl in America during the 1960s.
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Ruby Bridges’ family chose to send her to a white only school through which the government enforced, making her a champion of the desegregation of schools movement. To begin, “on the morning of November 14, 1960, federal marshals drove Ruby and her mother five blocks to her new school” (“Ruby Bridges.”). No African American student had attended school with white children before this date which is why federal marshals had to accompany Ruby. As a result of this, the white students and parents did not accept Ruby in their school. Still, the …show more content…
Her influences transcend time as we continue to have desegregated schools where all students have an opportunity for an equal education. Because Ruby was willing to be take the risk of crossing racial barriers to make a better life for herself, she made America better for all the students who followed her. Barack Obama benefited from Ruby´s struggle because he was able to go to any school of his choice. He graduated from Harvard with a law degree, and in 2008 became our first non-white President. A six year old´s choices mattered to the course of our nation and