Ruby Bridges is a civil rights icon who became famous at the tender age of six by bravely walking into an all-white school in New Orleans.
By doing so, she became the first African-American student to integrate into school.
And from then on, she has courageously fought to improve the education system and promote racial equality in schools.
In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most inspiring quotes from Ruby Bridges that highlight her perseverance and self-belief.
Whether you’re looking for words of encouragement, or simply want to learn more about this incredible woman, then you’re in the right place.
So without further ado, let’s dive into some powerful wisdom from Ruby Bridges about creating positive change in the world.
Inspirational Ruby Bridges Quotes
- “Experience comes to us for a purpose, and if we follow the guidance of the spirit within us, we will probably find that the purpose is a good one.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “If we are considered to be the greatest country in the world, then shouldn’t we be setting an example for the rest of the world?” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We cannot prepare any young person to meet the challenges of their world if we falsify the history that he or she is taught.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We must give our minds permission to accept and welcome change, rather than fear it” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “The person that impacted my life the most would have to have been my father because he shaped me into who I am today.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Wisdom is a gift but has nothing to do with age. That was probably the case with me.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “God makes each of us unique in ways that go much deeper.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “The only bad thing about burning your bridges behind you is that the world is round.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I like to share my story with children, and they are amazed by the story.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “The people I passed every morning as I walked up the school’s steps were full of hate. They were white, but so was my teacher, who couldn’t have been more different from them.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Somehow, it always worked. Kneeling at the side of my bed and talking to the Lord made everything okay.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “That’s really what my work is all about, bringing kids together.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Throughout my life, my prayers have actively sustained me — held me up, carried me through.” ~ Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges Short Quotes
Enjoying this list of quotes so far? Then you may also enjoy this list of quotes about confident women or this collection of badass women quotes.
If you’d just prefer to keep reading, then here’s some more short Ruby Bridges quotes that will inspire you.
- “The only thing that can stop you is you.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We must absolutely take care of one another.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “A lot of my strength came from my upbringing.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “None of our kids come into the world knowing anything about disliking one another.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We all have a common enemy, and that is evil.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Even though we may have a lot to be ashamed of in our history, we also have a lot to be proud of.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I pray for my enemies, that God will forgive them.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “You cannot look at a person and tell if they are good or bad.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “If we come together and embrace change, good will prevail.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We all know that history has a way of repeating itself.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I believe it doesn’t do yourself any good to hate.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Whenever good prevails, we have much to be proud of and much to celebrate.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I believe that history is sacred, and that none of us have the right to alter that history in any way.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I’ve been going against the grain since I was six years old.” ~ Ruby Bridges
Ruby Bridges Quotes On Racism
Given that Ruby Bridges grew up in Mississippi at the height of the civil rights movement, she knows a thing or two about racism.
She saw the injustice of segregation first-hand, which undoubtedly influenced her decision to dedicate her life to promoting racial equality.
So without further ado, here’s some of the most powerful Ruby Bridges quotes about racism.
- “Racism is a grown-up disease and we must stop using our children to spread it.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “It’s time to get past our racial differences. We owe it to our children to help them keep their clean start.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Racism is a form of hate. We pass it on to our young people. When we do that, we are robbing our children of their innocence.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Because of the way that I was introduced to racism, I chose integration as my life’s work.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I had never seen a white teacher before, but Mrs. Henry was the nicest teacher I ever had.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I think that racism is ugly and unfair, and I believe that we all need one another.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “My message is really that racism has no place in the hearts and minds of our children.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “When the scary subject of race is finally broached, kids want to talk and talk. It’s very satisfying.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “It’s time that we desegregate our history.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Our children need to know that white folks and black folks stood together, they marched together, they were beaten together, and in some cases they were murdered together.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “My mission in life has always been to do something to bridge our racial divide.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Every one of us is born with a clean heart. Our babies know nothing about hate or racism. But as soon as they begin to learn from us, we keep racism alive. We pass it on to our children. We owe it to our children to help them keep their clean start.” ~ Ruby Bridges
More Ruby Bridges Quotes And Sayings
Let’s conclude this article with more of the most famous Ruby bridges quotes and sayings.
- “It’s essential in making history that we don’t forget to learn from our history.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Evil isn’t prejudiced. It doesn’t care what you look like; it just wants a place to rest. It’s up to you whether or not you give it that place.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Don’t follow the path. Go where there is no path and begin the trail. When you start a new trail equipped with courage, strength, and conviction, the only thing that can stop you is you!” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We may not all be equally guilty. But we are all equally responsible for building a decent and just society.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “I believe that we have to come together, and we have to rely on the goodness of each other.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “Now that I’m a parent, I know that my parents were incredibly brave.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We have tolerance, respect, and equality in our written laws but not in the hearts of some of our people.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “My mother had taught me that the only thing you could depend on was your faith, and I had that.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We make progress when we remain true to the principles upon which our country was founded.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “We need to tell the story of everyone, so that our children can grow up and truly see themselves as Americans.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “My mother and our pastor always said you have to pray for your enemies and people who do you wrong, and that’s what I did.” ~ Ruby Bridges
- “It is essential that we turn back to our history every now and then to remind ourselves of the principles upon which our country was based.” ~ Ruby Bridges
We may have come to the end of these powerful quotes from Ruby Bridges, but luckily that’s not all that we have to share.
In a 2014 Ted Talk, she explained her bold ideas for reforming the education system and communicated a powerful message about acceptance, love, and courage.
If you want to view the aforementioned speech from Ruby Bridges, then feel free to take a look below:
Final Thoughts
Hopefully these Ruby Bridges quotes have provided you with insight into the values of courage, perseverance, and the importance of standing up for what is right.
Reflect on Bridges’ journey, it’s clear that the lessons she taught us are still relevant today. Her bravery in the face of adversity reminds us that we are all capable of making the world a better place.
Her determination to have a positive impact on the world despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles serves as a testament to the power of the human spirit.
By following in her footsteps and embodying the principles she stood for, we can make a meaningful difference in our own lives and in the lives of others.
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