1960: Ruby Bridges Leads Six Federal Marshals Into New Orleans Classroom
The six-year-old student walked into William Frantz Elementary School on Nov. 14, 1960, becoming the first Black child to attend the previously all-white institution.
By Jillian Foster ·
Six federal marshals escorted a six-year-old girl into a classroom in New Orleans on Nov. 14, 1960. Ruby Bridges entered William Frantz Elementary School that morning to become the first Black child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in the city.
The date marks the 318th day of 2026, with 47 days remaining in the year. For many readers, the day serves as a marker for historical events that occurred on this specific calendar date over the centuries.
In 1851, Herman Melville’s novel “Moby-Dick; Or, The Whale” reached American readers. The publication in the United States occurred almost a month after the book was released in Britain.
Journalist Nellie Bly began her attempt to travel around the world in 80 days in 1889. She completed the journey in just over 72 days using ships, trains, and other modes of transport.
Eugene B. Ely became the first aviator to take off from a ship in 1910. His Curtiss “Pusher” biplane lifted off the deck of the cruiser USS Birmingham off Hampton Roads, Virginia. The flight by the civilian pilot marked the beginning of naval aviation.
During World War II, German bombing raids destroyed much of the English city of Coventry in 1940. In 1965, the U.S. Army’s first major military engagement of the Vietnam War began with the five-day Battle of Ia Drang.
Apollo 12 blasted off for the moon in 1969, three months after Apollo 11 became the first manned mission to land on it. In 1970, a chartered Southern Airways plane crashed while trying to land in West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board. The victims included the Marshall University football team and its coaching staff.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above the 1,000 level for the first time in 1972, ending the day at 1,003.16. In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became the NFL’s winningest coach after a victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. Including an earlier stint coaching the Baltimore Colts, Shula finished his 33-year career with 347 victories, 19 of them in postseason play.
In 2020, supporters of Republican President Donald Trump rallied around the country. Thousands turned out in Washington, D.C., unwilling to accept Democrat Joe Biden’s election victory. Today also marks the birthdays of Britain’s King Charles III, who is 78, and filmmaker Zhang Yimou, who is 76.
