Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges was the first African American child to attend an all white public elementary school in the American south. She was born September. 8, 1954 in Tylertown, Mississippi Ruby was 6 years old when she became the first African American child to integrate a white southern elementary school. Ruby had to be escorted to class by her mother and u.s marshals due to violent mobs. Ruby Bridges and her family moved to New Orleans.
Ruby Bridges was born the same year that the supreme court's brown v. board of Education decision desegregated the schools in a notable coincidence in her early journey into Civil rights activism. When she was i kindergarten she was was one of many African American students in New Orleans who were chosen to take a test determining whether or not she could attend a white school. The test was written so it could especially be difficult so that African American students would have a hard time passing the test. The idea of the written test was that if all the African American children failed the test, New Orleans schools might be able to stay segregated for a while longer. Ruby lived Five blocks from an all white school , but attended kindergarten several miles away at an all black segregated school. In 1960, ruby bridges parents were informed by officials from the NAACP that she was one of only six African American students to pass the test. She would be the only black child to attend the Wiliam Frantz school, near her home and the first black child to attend an all white school in the south. The Louisiana State Legislature had found ways to fight the federal court order and slow the integration process.
The federal district court judge request the us marshalls to New Orleans to protect the children. November 14, 1960 was the first day ruby was attending William Frantz Elementary school only one person agreed to teach ruby and that was Barbara Henry from Boston Massachusetts. A white student broke the boycott and entered the school when a 34 yeard old methodist minister LIoyd Anderson walked his 5 year old daughter pam in the school. Lots of other white parents brought there kids in to school. Every morning as Bridges walked to school one women threaten to posion her her, because of that the U.S Marshals dispatched by president Eisenhower who were overseeing her safety allowed Ruby to only eat the food she brought from home. Her family suffered because she was going to an all white school. Ruby Bridges is still alive today she is 62 tears old and have 4 sons and she visit the school she went to today and she has book about her life.
Ruby Bridges was born the same year that the supreme court's brown v. board of Education decision desegregated the schools in a notable coincidence in her early journey into Civil rights activism. When she was i kindergarten she was was one of many African American students in New Orleans who were chosen to take a test determining whether or not she could attend a white school. The test was written so it could especially be difficult so that African American students would have a hard time passing the test. The idea of the written test was that if all the African American children failed the test, New Orleans schools might be able to stay segregated for a while longer. Ruby lived Five blocks from an all white school , but attended kindergarten several miles away at an all black segregated school. In 1960, ruby bridges parents were informed by officials from the NAACP that she was one of only six African American students to pass the test. She would be the only black child to attend the Wiliam Frantz school, near her home and the first black child to attend an all white school in the south. The Louisiana State Legislature had found ways to fight the federal court order and slow the integration process.
The federal district court judge request the us marshalls to New Orleans to protect the children. November 14, 1960 was the first day ruby was attending William Frantz Elementary school only one person agreed to teach ruby and that was Barbara Henry from Boston Massachusetts. A white student broke the boycott and entered the school when a 34 yeard old methodist minister LIoyd Anderson walked his 5 year old daughter pam in the school. Lots of other white parents brought there kids in to school. Every morning as Bridges walked to school one women threaten to posion her her, because of that the U.S Marshals dispatched by president Eisenhower who were overseeing her safety allowed Ruby to only eat the food she brought from home. Her family suffered because she was going to an all white school. Ruby Bridges is still alive today she is 62 tears old and have 4 sons and she visit the school she went to today and she has book about her life.
Brown v. Board of Education
In 1951, a class action suit was filed against the Board of Education of the city of Topeka, Kansas in the United States District for the District of Kansas.The plaintiffs were 13 Topeka parents on behalf of their 20 children.The suit called for the schools district to reverse its police of racial segregation. Brown v Board of was a supreme court case in 1954 which the court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional.The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896, which states sponsored segregation , insofar as it applied to public education . The ruling paved the way for integration and was major victory of Civil Rights Movement.
For much of 60 years preceding the Brown case, race relations in the United States had been dominated by racial segregation. The policy had been endorsed in 1896 by the United States Supreme court case Plessy v. Ferguson, which held that as long as the separate facilities for the separate races were equal, segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment
For much of 60 years preceding the Brown case, race relations in the United States had been dominated by racial segregation. The policy had been endorsed in 1896 by the United States Supreme court case Plessy v. Ferguson, which held that as long as the separate facilities for the separate races were equal, segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment
Little Rock 9
Before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in educational facilities was unconstitutional, the Little Rock School Board had already talked about integrating schools in 1957. 80 black students were interested in attending Central High School which was an all white school. The 80 students were interviewed and only 17 passed. In the end, only 9 students decided to go to the all white school. After news broke, the governor, Orval Faubus called the National Guard to surround Central High School to stop the students from entering.
On September 4, 1957, 100 National Guard troops along with 400 whites circled the school. The troops refused to let the black students pass and on September 20, a judge forced Faubus to withdraw the troop. On September 23, with a mob of 1,000 whites surrounding the school and U.S. troops sent by President Eisenhower, the 9 black students gained access to the school. The troops remained at the school throughout the year even though the kids still dealt with abuse inside the school.
Melba Patillo had acid thrown in her eyes. Elizabeth Eckford was pushed down a flight of stairs. Minnijean Brown was expelled after dumping a bowl of chili over a white student. Gloria Karlmark was called names and bumped in the hall. Jefferson Thomas was targetted for his quiet demenor. Thelma Mothershed and Terrence Roberts both only completed their junior year then left. Charlotta LaNier was the youngest and the first female to graduate from Central High School. Ernest Green became the first black student to graduate from Central High School on May 27, 1958.
On September 4, 1957, 100 National Guard troops along with 400 whites circled the school. The troops refused to let the black students pass and on September 20, a judge forced Faubus to withdraw the troop. On September 23, with a mob of 1,000 whites surrounding the school and U.S. troops sent by President Eisenhower, the 9 black students gained access to the school. The troops remained at the school throughout the year even though the kids still dealt with abuse inside the school.
Melba Patillo had acid thrown in her eyes. Elizabeth Eckford was pushed down a flight of stairs. Minnijean Brown was expelled after dumping a bowl of chili over a white student. Gloria Karlmark was called names and bumped in the hall. Jefferson Thomas was targetted for his quiet demenor. Thelma Mothershed and Terrence Roberts both only completed their junior year then left. Charlotta LaNier was the youngest and the first female to graduate from Central High School. Ernest Green became the first black student to graduate from Central High School on May 27, 1958.
"Ole Miss"
James Maredith applied to the University of Mississippi in 1962 but it only admitted white students although in 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Brown vs Board of Education that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. He was denied admissions twice. On May 31, 1931 Meredith and the NAACP filed a lawsuit saying that the school rejected him only because he was black. The U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that Meredith had the right to be admitted to the school. On September 13, 1962, the District Court entered an injunction directing members of the Board of Trustees and officials of the University to register Meredith in the school. Governor of Mississippi, Ross Barnett said "no school will be integrated in Mississippi while I am your governor".
The state passed a law that denied admission to any person "who has a crime of moral turpitude against him" or convicted of any felony offense or not pardoned.
Meredith was accused and convicted of "false voter registration" before he applied. On September 20th, the federal government stopped the enforcement of the Act. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered 500 Marshalls to take Meredith to school. Many students harassed him but others accepted him. On October 7, 1962, Meredith became the first African-American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. He graduated on August 18, 1963 with a degree in political science.
The state passed a law that denied admission to any person "who has a crime of moral turpitude against him" or convicted of any felony offense or not pardoned.
Meredith was accused and convicted of "false voter registration" before he applied. On September 20th, the federal government stopped the enforcement of the Act. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy ordered 500 Marshalls to take Meredith to school. Many students harassed him but others accepted him. On October 7, 1962, Meredith became the first African-American student to enroll at the University of Mississippi. He graduated on August 18, 1963 with a degree in political science.