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The Civil Rights Movement and Education: How Much Do You Really Know?

d) Integrate with an all-white elementary school

In 1960, a federal court ordered Louisiana to desegregate. The New Orleans school district Ruby attended created entrance exams for African American students. Ruby and five other Black students passed the exam.

Ruby attended the all-white William Frantz Elementary School, escorted with her mother by four federal marshals every day that year. She spent her first day of school in the principal’s office as angry parents pulled their children from the school, some permanently.

Barbara Henry, a white Boston native, was the only teacher willing to teach Ruby. For the entire school year, Ruby was the only student in Henry’s class.

More can be read about Ruby here.

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