4 Chapter 4- Kindergarten in a Black School

When Ruby turned 5 years old, she started kindergarten at Johnson Lockett Elementary. It was a segregated (all black) school. It was a long distance from home, but she was not alone. All the kids from her block walked there together. Her teacher was Mrs. King. She loved Mrs. King because she was nice like Ruby’s grandma.

The court in New Orleans said schools must let black and white children learn together. The plan was to integrate schools with the new first graders.

Ruby’s school gave tests to kindergarten children. The tests were hard. They gave the tests to decide which black children could go to white schools.

Ruby took the test. The test was difficult, but she did very well on it. Ruby remembers the test day. She went with her mom to a big building. Many children were there. They all waited to take the test.

The test was difficult because the white people at the school wanted black children to fail. If they failed, the school could stay separated by color longer.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (the NAACP) helped Ruby’s parents. The NAACP is a group that fights for black people’s rights and for equality. They wanted Ruby to go to a good school. They came to Ruby’s house in the summer and spoke to her parents. Her parents argued about which school Ruby should go to. Ruby’s mom wanted Ruby to go to the white (integrated) school, but her dad didn’t. Abon was scared that Ruby would have more problems. He fought in the Korean War. During the war he experienced segregation. He was not treated equally during the war or after. Finally, Lucille convinced Abon that Ruby should go to the white school.

Ruby learned that some people thought black children were not as smart as white children. But that was not true. The test was unfair. Ruby’s family knew she was smart and strong.