Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders tells the story of a courageous band of civil rights activists who challenged segregation, simply by traveling side by side on buses and trains through the Deep South in 1961. Deliberately violating Jim Crow laws, more than 400 black and white college students risked their lives—and many met with bitter racism, mob violence and imprisonment—sorely testing their belief in nonviolent activism. 

In the first few days, the riders encountered only minor hostility, but in the second week the riders were severely beaten.

“My objective is not just to make a point, but to bring about a real change in the situation. We will continue the Ride until people can sit wherever they wish on buses and use the facilities in any waiting room available to the public. Please tell the attorney general that we have been cooling off for 350 years. If we cool off anymore, we will be in a deep freeze. The Freedom Ride will go on.”

This article from The Oprah Show explains more on the Freedom Riders and their struggles.

PBS Video goes into the depth about the Freedom Riders and their movement toward freedom.

Freedom Riders were repeatedly attacked by violent mobs and suffered malicious attacks.

KD