Escorted by federal marshals, Ruby Bridges, walked through a mob of people who wanted her dead each day just to go to school. White teachers refused to let her in their class, white parents hid their children and children refused to play with her. At only 6 years old, Ruby had the devastating realization that all the anger and hatred she was witnessing was directed at her because of the color of her skin. Years later, she speaks out about her traumatic experience in effort to change the system.

Ruby Bridges is an American Civil rights pioneer. At just six years old, she advanced the cause of the movement when she became the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. Children aren’t born with an understanding of what racism is. Much like Ruby at that age, she wasn’t acutely aware of why her decision to go to school caused such a reaction. Racism is taught, and society must stops imprinting racist prejudice on innocent children. | Freeda En