Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges Timeline

1954

Ruby Bridges is Born

On September 8, 1954, Ruby Bridges was born in Tylertown, Mississippi.

1960

Integrates William Frantz Elementary School

Bridges becomes the first African American child to integrate an all white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana.

1998

Receives Human Rights Award

Bridges receives the Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize.

1999

Opens The Ruby Bridges Foundation

The Ruby Bridges Foundation is launched to promote tolerance and create change through education.

2001

Recognized by President George W. Bush

Bridges is recognized and honored by President George W. Bush for her courage and civil rights activism.

2011

Receives Presidential Citizens Medal

Bridges is presented with the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Barack Obama.

2014

Honored with a U.S. Postage Stamp

Bridges is honored with a U.S. postage stamp by the United States Postal Service.

5 Interesting Facts about Ruby Bridges

1. First African American Student to Integrate an Elementary School

Ruby Bridges was the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. On November 14, 1960, she walked through an angry mob at William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

2. Met President John F. Kennedy

Ruby Bridges was invited to meet president John F. Kennedy at the White House in 1962. She was just six years old at the time.

3. Her Image is in a Painting

In 1964, artist Norman Rockwell painted Ruby Bridges walking towards a school with US Marshals escorting her. The painting is called "The Problem We All Live With" and hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C.

4. Has a School Named After Her

Ruby Bridges was honored for her brave actions by having an elementary school named after her in 1999. The Ruby Bridges Elementary School is located in Tylertown, Mississippi.

5. Received Presidential Medal of Freedom

Ruby Bridges received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2011. This is the highest civilian honor given in the United States.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Ruby Bridges birthday?

Ruby Bridges was born on September 8, 1954, and is currently 69 years old. She is an American civil rights leader and activist best known for being one of the first black students to integrate an all-white public elementary school in the South. At the age of 6, she became a symbol of the Civil Rights Movement and achieved national fame as a result.

What is the Net Worth of Ruby Bridges?

Ruby Bridges has an estimated net worth of $3M. She is a noted civil rights activist best known for her role in integrating the all-white William Frantz Elementary School, the first school in New Orleans, Louisiana to be integrated in 1960. She has accrued her wealth from media appearances, speeches, and other business endeavors.