If you let history books tell the tale, integration was the answer to all of Black people’s problems. It was the end of racism. Unfortunately, that wasn’t remotely true. Black people were still victims of racism, whether you were a child or an adult. Safe spaces were rare, and that included schools.
Ruby Bridges tells the story of the real life titular character, played by Chaz Monet, as she becomes the first Black student to attend William Frantz Public School, a newly integrated, formerly all white school in New Orleans. There she faced all different forms of racism. People threw things at her. Parents pulled their kids out of schools. Teachers refused to teach her. She managed to get through this and later became an activist in her adult life.
Ruby Bridges first aired as a Disney television film. It was nominated for several awards, including an NAACP Image Award. It is available here.
