Ruby Bridges

(1956- )

Ruby's parents are Abon and Lucille Bridges. Lucille was supportive of Ruby's education. Abon and Lucille had four children after Ruby.

She was born in Mississippi and moved to New Orleans, Lousiana when she was four-years-old.

Ruby's favorite activities were softball and jumping rope.

Ruby was the first African-American to attend William Frantz Elementary, an all-white school. She was six-years-old.

Other families began to pull their children out of school. Ruby remained the only child in her class for one year.

After graduating high school at Francis T. Nicholls, Ruby studied travel and tourism at the Kansas City business school.

Now, Ruby is a civil rights activist and philanthropist.

She founded and works for the Ruby Bridges Foundation.

Ruby was essential in the fight to keep William Frantz Elementary open after Hurricane Katrina.

Simone Biles

(1997- )

Simone is the most decorated American gymnast.

Simone was born in Columbus, Ohio and has three siblings from her mother, Shanon.

Simone and her siblings were in foster care until her grandfather, from Texas, took care of them.

In 2012, Simone began homeschooling to focus on her gymnastics career.

She now attends an online college program, University of the People, while she continues to train for the Olympics.

Simone is known for her ability to complete difficult gymnastic routines.

She is the third most decorated gymnast in the world.

Simone has won many awards:

-2016 Glamour Award

-2016 BBC's 100 Woman

-2017 ESPY Best Female Athlete

-One of Time's Magazine's most influential people

-2018 Arthur Ashe Courage Award

-2018 ESPN's Most Dominant Athlete

Simone, along with other US gymnasts, received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award for speaking up against abuse and woman's rights.

W.E.B. Du Bois

(1868-1963)

Du Bois was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts

He enjoyed playing tennis.

Du Bois was first married to Nina Gomer. Before her passing, they had two children. One daughter, Yolande, lived to adulthood.

Du Bois' second wife, Shirley Graham, had a son from a previous marriage. He became very close with Shirley's son, David.

Du Bois attended higher education at Fisk University, Harvard, and University of Berlin.

He was the first African-American to receive a doctorate from Harvard University.

He later became a professor at Atlanta University.

Du Bois was a civil rights activist, writer, and sociologist.

He protested unfair acts against African-Americans.

He wanted African-Americans to have the opportunity of higher education.

Du Bois was a founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

They worked to eliminate discrimination of African-Americans.

Du Bois' prominent work is The Souls of Black Folks, a collection of essays depicting lives of African-Americans, and Black Reconstruction in America.