10,000 signatures reached
To: President Joe Biden
Award Civil Rights Icon Ruby Bridges the Presidential Medal of Freedom!
The story of Ruby Bridges, one of the first Black children to integrate elementary schools in the South, is a crucial part of our nation's history. But right-wing politicians banning books that cover important topics like racism and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights are trying to silence her.
We need to ensure Ruby's story of bravery and triumph over racism is never forgotten. Sign the petition to award Ruby Bridges with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Why is this important?
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation's highest civilian honor for Americans who have made exemplary contributions to the United States. Ruby Bridges has been fighting her entire life to fight back against racism, especially for children. She's an inspiration and role model to children and adults across the country, and she deserves to be honored as such.
Books telling Ruby's story of racially integrating public schools in the south—including a book she wrote about her experiences—have been disputed or banned in schools across the country.
It's the duty of our education system to teach kids the truth about our world while inspiring them to change it for the better. That mission is what Ruby Bridges embodied when at just 6 years old, escorted by U.S. Marshals through a crowd of violent protesters, she integrated an all-white elementary school in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1960. When Ruby took her first step into her new school she helped to usher in a new era of progress for America—one that Republicans are now trying to reverse.
Republicans have launched an all-out assault on the free expression of minority voices and integral parts of American history. In a disturbing display of censorship, 2023 saw an unprecedented purge of nearly 2,000 books from school libraries across the country. These books primarily represented characters who are people of color or LGBTQ+, or tackled significant themes such as racism. These book bans are a blatant attempt to distort historical truths and silence the diverse narratives that are critical to understanding the full American experience.
Tell President Biden: Ensure Ruby's story of bravery and triumph over racism is never forgotten. Sign the petition to award Ruby Bridges with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.