Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
About Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day
In 2018, a group of fifth graders in the South San Francisco Unified School District were so inspired by Ruby's courage that they advocated to make November 14th Ruby Bridges Day. With the help of the San Mateo County Office of Education, their dream became a reality.
In September 2021, the California State Senate passed a resolution proclaiming November 14th as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day! View the resolution.
Learn more about how these students were inspired to create Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day and celebrate Ruby's bravery and courage.
Video directed and edited by JR Sheetz.
The music featured in this video is "Walk To School Like Ruby Did", courtesy of LaMar "Mr. Q-U-E" Queen and David "Mr. D" Landix of Music Notes. Visit the Music Notes website for more videos or to book an assembly. Or follow them on Facebook or on Instagram @musicnotesonline. Feel free to use the song but please credit the artists.
San Mateo County Schools Celebrate Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day (RBWTSD) is the perfect opportunity to teach children about the civil rights movement and make connections to today's collective efforts for change. This celebration gives children the opportunity to celebrate Ruby's courage by walking to school. The students behind RBWTSD have a dream of celebrating this special day across California and the nation.
Watch the video of students participating in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day. Keep scrolling down to see the winning designs for the 2025 poster contest!
RBWTSD 2025 Participants in San Mateo County
RBWTSD 2025 Art and Media Contest Winners
Students from all over San Mateo County were invited to submit their artwork, poetry, or other creative projects to honor Ruby Bridges on Ruby Bridges Walk To School Day. Expand this section to see the winning entries below, which include digital art, drawings, poetry, and writing.
Ruby Bridges History and Walk to School Day Timeline
About Ruby
In 1954, the US Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in Brown v. the Board of Education ended racial segregation in public schools. However, southern states continued to resist. Ruby spent kindergarten in a segregated classroom. In 1960, a federal court ordered Louisiana schools to desegregate. The school district created an entrance exam to see if African American students could handle being in an all-white school. Ruby and five other students passed the exam. The six students were to be sent to two different all-white schools. The school district delayed their start and Ruby's first day of school was November 14, 1960. A few days before the start of school, the two African American students who were going to attend with Ruby, decided to stay in their home school. Ruby braved William Frantz Elementary School on her own.
In May 2018, a group of fifth-graders from Martin Elementary School in South San Francisco, California, learned about Ruby and asked their school board to pass a resolution making November 14 Ruby Bridges Day. The San Mateo County Office of Education Safe Routes to School team met with the students about making it a walk to school day and invited them to present this proposal to the San Mateo County Board of Education.
A resolution was passed endorsing November 14 as Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day in San Mateo County. When November 14th is a Saturday or Sunday, Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day will be celebrated on the following Wednesday. The Safe Routes to School team invited other schools to join the Martin students in honoring Ruby’s courage by celebrating this walk to school day. Fourteen schools participated in 2018, 25 schools participated in 2019, 55 schools in San Mateo County and across the country participated in 2020 and over 50,000 people participated in 2021!
Parents and students participating in Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
School staff walking with Ruby Bridges Poster on Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
Beechwood School students gather for a picture on Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day.
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