Colored Water Fountain | Periscope

Ruby was born in 1954. At the time, African-American children and white children had to attend separate schools. Segregation, or the separation of African American and white people, was practiced by law. Schools were not the only segregated areas in Ruby's community. Ruby and her family had to use separate drinking fountains, bathrooms, and buses. Many of the schools and facilities available to African American citizens were not as good as those for white citizens. Ruby's mother did not want Ruby to attend a segregated school because the white school in the neighborhood was closer and better equipped. Mrs. Bridges believed that with a better education, Ruby would have more opportunities.

Segregation meant that African Americans used separate schools, drinking fountains, bathrooms and buses.

Ruby nació en 1954. En ese tiempo, los niños Afroamericanos y los niños Blancos tenían que asistir a escuelas separadas. La segregación, o la separación de los Afroamericanos y Blancos, se practicaba por ley. Las escuelas no eran las únicas áreas segregadas en la comunidad de Ruby. Ruby y su familia tuvieron que usar fuentes de agua, baños y autobuses separados. Muchas de las escuelas e instalaciones disponibles para los ciudadanos Afroamericanos no eran tan buenas como las de los ciudadanos Blancos. La madre de Ruby no quería que Ruby asistiera a una escuela segregada porque la escuela de Blancos en el vecindario estaba más cerca y mejor equipada. Bridges creía que con una mejor educación, Ruby tendría más oportunidades.

La segregación significaba que los Afroamericanos tenían que usar escuelas, fuentes para beber, baños y autobuses separados.

More in this Series

Periscope / African American History Month | Periscope / C. Ruby Bridges | Periscope

Ruby Bridges (1960) | Periscope

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Ruby Bridges (1960) | Periscope
Episode 1
Ruby Bridges' first day at William Frantz Elementary School was very unusual. Integration, or the sharing of schools by African American and white people, had recently become law in 1960. She was one...
Policemen & Federal Marshals | Periscope

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Policemen & Federal Marshals | Periscope
Episode 3
By the time Ruby was six years old, there were new laws stating that African American and white students had to integrate, or share, schools. People such as Martin Luther King, Jr. had worked for...
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Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles | Periscope
Episode 4
Ruby's friend, psychiatrist Dr. Robert Coles, wrote "The Story of Ruby Bridges." At William Frantz, Ruby attended an empty classroom. Some parents refused to let their children go to the integrated...
Ruby Bridges  | Periscope

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Ruby Bridges | Periscope
Episode 5
Ruby still lives in New Orleans. She runs the Ruby Bridges Foundation to help troubled children at William Frantz and other schools. With the group, Ruby travels the country advocating the importance...