Ruby Bridges was born September 8, 1954 in Tylertown Mississippi. When Ruby was four years old her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana hoping for a better life. During this time it was extremely difficult for African Americans to find decent jobs to support their families because they were segregated. Segregation means to separate people based on the color of their skin, gender or religion. After the move her father got a job as a gas station attendant and her mother worked odd jobs at night. Ruby’s family continued to grow, her parents had three more children. When Ruby was in kindergarten her parents received a letter from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to participate in the integration of public
