Ruby was born in Tylertown, Mississippi. She was born into poverty. She was the eldest of five children. She was born September 8, 1954. She lived on a small farm. Her parents were sharecroppers, meaning they farmed the land, but didn't own it. 

When she was two years old her family moved to New Orleans, Louisiana her family was in search of better opportunities. In New Orleans, Ruby had lots of fun with her friends. They played softball, jumped rope, and climbed trees. 

One of the horrific things they did was put a black doll in a coffin to represent Ruby. Because of her experiences while desegregating. Also Ruby suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). On top of that  Ruby struggled because she was the only student in the classroom with her teacher, Mrs. Henry when she was desegregating an all-white school (which means making it so that all students can go to one school no matter what their skin color is). Ruby was not the only one who struggled during this journey, her family did as well. Her father who worked at a service station got fired because Ruby was an African American going to an all-white school.  Her mother was prohibited (means that you can’t go into a place) from shopping at any of the local grocery stores.  Even her grandparents, who were sharecroppers in Mississippi, got kicked off their farmland because their granddaughter was causing so much "trouble". Ruby and her family experienced a lot of struggles, but they did not give up; they were determined to see change. 

Ruby's school district created entrance exams for African American students. These exams determined whether African American students could compete academically at an all-white school. Ruby was a very bright girl and aced the test. And five other students passed the test. The others, including Ruby, were sent to the all-white McDonough Elementary School. Ruby was selected at age six to enroll at the Frantz School. Her father was initially opposed to her attending an all-white school, feeling that the school she attended was good enough. But eventually, her mother convinced him that they needed to allow Ruby to take advantage of an opportunity to get an education better than theirs. At the time, they were not aware of the significance of their decision or of the effect it would have on their daughter.

 “She was the first black girl to go to an all-white school in New Orleans.” Ruby was the first African American child to desegregate William Frantz Elementary School. At six years old, Ruby's bravery helped pave the way for Civil Rights action in the American South. And she is now known as a Civil Rights Activist. She was the first African-American student to attend an all-white elementary school in the South. After graduating from high school, Ruby worked as a travel agent for fifteen years. She married Malcolm Hall and had four sons. She was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2001 by President Bill Clinton. She is forever known for her bravery.