Session of 2025
SENATE BILL No. 265
By Committee on Federal and State Affairs
2-13
AN ACT concerning days of commemoration; designating November 14
of each year as Ruby Bridges walk to school day in the state of Kansas.
WHEREAS, Kansas was at the epicenter of the landmark United States
Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which was
decided on May 17, 1954, and in such case the Supreme Court handed
down the unanimous decision that racially segregated public schools
violated the 14
th
Amendment of the Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Kansas Senate passed Senate Resolution No. 1756
and the Kansas House of Representatives passed House Resolution No.
6047 commemorating 2024 as the 70
th
anniversary of the Brown v. Board
of Education of Topeka decision that made public school segregation
illegal in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Kansas legislature passed Senate Resolution No.
1703 during the 2024 special session recognizing November 14, 2024, as
Ruby Bridges walk to school day in the state of Kansas; and
WHEREAS, Ruby Nell Bridges is an American activist who became a
symbol of the civil rights movement at age six when she was the youngest
African American student designated to integrate public schools; and
WHEREAS, Artist Norman Rockwell celebrated the courage of Ms.
Bridges in 1964 in a painting entitled "The Problem We All Live With"
that depicted Ms. Bridges' first day of school, which made Ms. Bridges the
national icon for desegregation; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Bridges' experience has been depicted in various
media, including the 1998 Disney movie entitled "Ruby Bridges" and Ms.
Bridges' own book, "Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story." The
American Library Association reports a record number of demands to
censor library books and other materials, including Ms. Bridges' book; and
WHEREAS, The Kansas Senate joined the children of Kansas in
welcoming Ms. Bridges to Topeka on November 14, 2024, on the 70
th
anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision; and
WHEREAS, Students, teachers and school staff across the county
participate in Ruby Bridges walk to school day on November 14 of each
year to honor Ms. Bridges through dialogue, commemorating her historic
steps and taking part in their own forms of activism to bring an end to
racism and bullying.
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Now, therefore:
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. November 14 of each year, the same being the anniversary
of Ruby Bridges' first day attending William Frantz elementary school, is
hereby designated as Ruby Bridges walk to school day in the state of
Kansas. Any year in which November 14 falls on a Saturday or Sunday,
Ruby Bridges walk to school day shall be commemorated on the following
Wednesday.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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