Consider This from NPR

The Civil Rights Activist Sharing Her Story With A New Generation

Sep 26, 2022

Ruby Bridges, a pioneering civil rights activist and author, made history as the first Black child to desegregate an all-white school in 1960. In this discussion, she reflects on her childhood experiences and the challenges she faced during that tumultuous time. She emphasizes the vital role of education and resilience while introducing her children's book, which aims to share her story with a new generation. Bridges also highlights the intersection of art and activism, illustrating how creative expression can empower and inspire.

12:45

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Ruby Bridges

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

A Legacy of Resilience and Learning

2min

Art and Activism: The Legacy of Ruby Bridges

2min

First Steps to Integration

4min

Reflections on Childhood Challenges and a Legacy of Desegregation

4min

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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