On November 14, 1960, Ruby attended her first day at the all-white William Frantz School five blocks away from her home in New Orleans. When Ruby arrived at the school there were a lot of white people screeaming and threatening Ruby and her family. Ruby didn't fully understand what was going on, but it was, obviously, a frightening scene. It took a lot of courage and resolve for this little girl to stand their ground and demand her and their rights as human beings and American citizens. A lot more courage than it did for the mob of zombied harrassing her. In time white men in suits, Federal Marshals arrived, drove Ruby to school, and surrounded and protected her as she entered the school.

Ms. Bridges is now chair of the Ruby Bridges Foundation, which she formed in 1999 to promote "the values of tolerance, respect, and appreciation of all differences". Describing the mission of the group, she says, "racism is a grown-up disease and we must stop using our children to spread it."