Reflections on Childhood Challenges and a Legacy of Desegregation

Ruby Bridges was just six years old in 1960 when she became the first Black child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans.

She was escorted by four federal marshals and greeted by a mob of angry white protesters.

Today, Bridges is a civil rights activist and author, and she is sharing her experience with a new generation of kids in her latest children's book, I Am Ruby Bridges.

Bridges tells her story through the eyes of her six-year-old self and talks about what today's children can learn from her experience.

In participating regions, you'll also hear a local news segment to help you make sense of what's going on in your community.

Email us at considerthis@npr.org.


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