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Ruby Bridges was born on September 8, 1954. She was born to Lucille and Abon Bridges In Tylertown, Mississippi.
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In Tylertown, Ruby and her family were looked down on. When Ruby was about four years old, the Bridges moved to New Orleans in hopes that this would change. The exact date of this event is unknown.
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There were many people who didn't want Ruby to go to their school, but one person did. Barbara Henry loved Ruby. She helped Ruby get through the troubling times that she was going through. Ruby was the only student in her class and was taught on a different floor than everyone else. At first, this didn't bother Ruby, but then she began to wonder why she couldn't be taught like everyone else. After winter break, a child therapist started seeing her daily. She enjoyed the extra attention.
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When Ruby got to New Orleans, a judge ordered her to go to Frantz Elementary School for whites. As Ruby walked up the path to the school, escorted by Federal Marshals, white parents chanted, "Two, four, six, eight, we don't want to integrate!", but Ruby still attended. Ruby's father lost his job because his boss didn't like the idea of a black girl going to an all white school. Ruby was threatened that people would poison or hurt her and her family. Ruby still went to school.
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Ruby Bridges and her courage inspired the painting "The Problem We All Live With", by Norman Rockwell.
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When Ruby graduated from Frantz Elementary School, she attended an integrated high school.
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Ruby Bridges married Malcolm Hall. They had four sons.
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Ruby Bridges wrote "Through My Eyes", which tells of her childhood experiences. It was published in 1999.
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The Ruby Bridges Foundation was founded by Ruby in 1999. It focuses on promoting tolerance and racial equity through education.
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Today, Ruby Bridges travels around the U.S informing people of her childhood. She also talks about new forms of segregation and systematic inequality.
