Ruby Bridges
Description
Learn about Ruby Bridges and the remarkable courage she showed as a child during an important moment in the American civil rights movement.
Ruby's story begins at Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where she became one of the first African American children to integrate an all-white school. In Ruby Bridges: One-of-a-Kind Trailblazer, children discover her strength and determination and see how her bravery helped make a difference in the fight for civil rights and equal education. With clear historical context, readers learn what was happening during Ruby's childhood and why her actions mattered. Photographs and illustrations detail her experiences and support understanding along the way.
Ruby Bridges: One-of-a-Kind Trailblazer
- Highlights Ruby Bridges's courage and inspiring legacy in the world today
- Provides a timeline linking Ruby Bridges's earlier life to world events and the fight for racial equality
- Includes meaningful activities that connect to her story
Add context, color, and character to history with Ruby Bridges: One-of-a-Kind Trailblazer!
The One-of-a-Kind series takes a fresh look at history's most fascinating figures, going beyond the biographies you may already know by adding context, color, and character to each person's story. Instead of focusing only on major accomplishments, these books weave in the wider world around each historical figure--what else was happening at the time, who influenced them, and how their actions helped shape the era they lived in--so children can better understand why their contributions still matter. Each title also includes a timeline that connects the person's life to key events in history and engaging activities that help bring their experiences and ideas to life.
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Person
Joshua McDowell was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was lovingly raised by his single mother and still lives today. From an early age, he developed a deep love for books and storytelling, often creating his own stories inspired by the world around him. Although he has been writing and imagining stories for most of his life, Ruby Bridges: The Life of a Trailblazer is his first published book. Joshua is passionate about creating stories that inspire young readers to be brave, kind, and confident in their voices. He was the winner of the 2025 winner of the Black Voices in Children's Literature Writing Contest.