There are countless Black Americans who made their mark on history. Did you know that some of them were kids?
It's true! Many people started working to make the world a better place when they were young. Read on to learn about three amazing kids who made history.
A Courageous First Grader
On November 14, 1960, first grader Ruby Bridges bravely walked into her new school. The 6-year-old was about to become the first Black student at William Frantz Elementary. For years, many states required Black and White students to go to separate schools. Then, in 1954, a law had been passed to end school segregation. But not all cities followed the new law. One of them was Bridges' hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. The schools there didn't make the change until a court ordered them to do so.
Many White people were upset about it. And they made things very difficult for Bridges. Every day, angry crowds shouted at her as she walked into the building. Many families removed their kids from the school. Still, Bridges' strength paved the way for others to follow in her footsteps.
Bridges went on to fight against racism. In 1999, she started the Ruby Bridges Foundation to create change through education.
Video credit: National Archives
Video Transcript: Ruby Bridges
A Young Civil Rights Leader
Freeman Hrabowski took his own courageous steps, too. Hrabowski was 12 years old when he heard about plans for a "children's crusade" in Birmingham, Alabama. It was a march to end school segregation. And all the marchers would be kids. Hrabowski wanted to be able to go to school with all kids. So, he decided to take action.
In May 1963, he joined more than 1,000 other kids. They marched for equal rights. The march upset many people. The Birmingham police tried to stop the march with force, but Hrabowski stood strong. Later in life, he remembered what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said that day. King told the marchers that their brave stand would help kids in the future.
But Hrabowski's efforts didn't end there! He went on to be a math professor, and then he became president of a university. Throughout his life, Hrabowski helped many students succeedThe Reader Who Sparked a Movement
Today, some amazing kids are following the path paved by Bridges and Hrabowski. And they're using the internet to spread their message. One of these kids is Marley Dias. An eager reader, she wanted to see more people like herself in books.
Dias said she was bothered that there wasn't much diversity in the books she was reading. When asked what she wanted to change, Dias came up with the idea for a book drive. Only 11 years old at the time, Dias began #1000BlackGirlBooks in November 2015. Her goal was to collect 1,000 books showing a Black girl as the main character. Then, she'd give the books away.
The book drive really took off. Pretty soon, news media around the world were talking about Dias's efforts. To date, Dias has collected more than 13,000 books. She even wrote her own book. It's called Marley Dias Gets It Done: And So Can You! The book shows other kids how to use their voices to make a difference.
What changes would you like to see in the world? How would you spread your message?
Think about the article. Which is true about Freeman Hrabowski?
A.He marched when he was a kid and grew up to be a police officer.
B.He marched when he was a kid and grew up to become a professor.
C.He marched when he was a kid and grew up to pass a law.
D.He marched when he was a kid and grew up to start a company.