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I learned yesterday evening that it was Ruby Bridges 60th birthday, consequently I also learned who Ruby Bridges is. I am young still, 33, born in 1981 and did not grow up in the civil rights era; I grew up, thank G-d, quite ignorant of experiencing or seeing racism very much at all and was blessed to be amongst incredible diversity as a kid and through high school. I was not ignorant of racism or that it existed of course, but I was very blessed to have a truly multicultural childhood where racism was not the norm nor close to it. I mention all of this because I am shocked that I had not learned of Ruby or somehow don't remember learning of her in school. I certainly learned of the civil rights movement and of the many heroic figures who were a part of it; but I am shocked that as an American her name was not part of my everyday vocabulary. I don't know if this is anyone else's experience, which is also why I mentioned my youth,but I feel that Ruby and her story should be given far more attention when learning the history of the courageous heros who turned over centuries of injustice; the aftermath of which we are still struggling with in this country to this day. Happy Birthday Ruby and G-d bless you! May the time come when humanity learns that we are really one person!

"In spring of 1960, Bridges was one of six black children in New Orleans to pass the test that determined whether they could go to the all-white school. Two of the six decided to stay at their old school, three were transferred to McDonogh, and Bridges went to a school by herself.

William Frantz Elementary School building in 2010
Ruby was the only one assigned to William Frantz. Her father was initially reluctant, but her mother felt strongly that the move was needed not only to give her own daughter a better education, but to "take this step forward ... for all African-American children." Her mother finally convinced her father to let her go to the school.[4]"

Please read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_Bridges