November 14 Proclaimed Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day in California
The California Senate established November 14 as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day in California to honor the civil rights pioneer who was just 6-years-old when she braved an angry mob screaming racial slurs as she walked into an elementary school in New Orleans. With her courageous act, Ruby became the first Black child to desegregate her school. She continued undaunted, never missing a day of class even though the mob continued to harass her each day as she walked to school. California's recognition is the result of work by fifth-graders at Martin Elementary School in South San Francisco who took Ruby's legacy to heart to win broader recognition of the civil rights icon.