Accomplishments
Today Ruby Bridges is still influencing others to stand up for their rights to racial equality. She speaks at various organizations all over the Untied States, sharing her story and promoting others to fight racism. In 1999 she created a foundation called The Ruby Bridges Foundation (http://rubybridgesfoundation.org/foundation/). Her foundation educates others about the struggles she faced being the only African American to attend white schools, and why her fight was worth the criticism she faced. Many people have written books about Ruby's life such as Through my Eyes, Story of Ruby Bridges, Ruby Bridges Goes to School and Bridges Out of Poverty. Walt Disney made a movie about her life called Ruby Bridges, which depicts Ruby bravery, and the consequences that not only she, but her whole family faced as a result of her decision to stand up for her rights to an education equal to that of whites in her town. Even Oprah Winfrey sees Ruby Bridges as a "leader" in the Civil Rights Movement and interviewed her on an episode called Where are They Now?. It was on this episode that Oprah reunites Ruby with her teacher, Mrs. Henry, who Ruby says was the only nice person to her at her school.
I grew to love Ruby and to be awed by her. It was an ugly world outside, but I tried to make our world together as normal as possible. Neither one of us missed a day of school together. It was important to keep going.
- Barbra Henry
- Barbra Henry