Seperate is Not Equal in The Story of Ruby Bridges

I had read The Story of Ruby Bridges for another class I'm taking this semester, but Ruby's story is so powerful I definitely needed to share it here. This book by Robert Coles, profiles the young girl who inadvertently became swept up in the Civil Rights Movement when a judge declared that she should be sent to William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in an attempt to integrate the school in 1960.

Ruby came from a family of humble means and her parents had to work two jobs to support her and her brothers and sisters. This unassuming family was unwittingly drawn into the fight for African American equality by the decision to integrate Frantz Elementary and since it was such a hot button issue, Ruby's daily walk to school drew mobs of angry people who did not want her to attend a traditionally white school. As the book shows, Ruby bravely showed up to school every single day despite the angry mob. Her teacher, Mrs. Henry, taught Ruby in an isolated classroom where she was away from the other students at Frantz Elementary. One day Mrs. Henry saw Ruby stop right in the middle of the angry mob outside of Frantz Elementary, which was extremely unusual for the quiet girl. Mrs. Henry observed Ruby's mouth moving and wondered what she could possibly be saying to the crowd. When Ruby arrived in the classroom, Mrs. Henry questioned Ruby as to what she said to the protesters to which Ruby replied that she hadn't said anything. Instead she had offered up a prayer for the protesters, that they would not be judged because they weren't aware of what they were doing.

I love this book for its beautiful simplicity. The language is straight to the point and not too complex while the watercolor drawings give the book its emotions, ranging from the Bridges' familial warmth to the strength and power of the angry mob. I also love this book because like Chidren of the Civil War, The Story of Ruby Bridges demonstrates the power a child can have and the impact they can make in the world. Teachers can use this story to illustrate this point and also to provide students with a child-figure to connect with when teaching about the Civil Rights Movement. For the other class I read this book in, we created a unit in which students looked at the story of Ruby Bridges and then examined the famous Norman Rockwell painting of her. This would be a great lesson to teach in the elementary classroom to tie art and literature together. Regardless of the way it is used, The Story of Ruby Bridges is an invaluable resource to any classroom teacher.