Twice in 1960, the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled that racial segregation in bus terminals and interstate travel was unconstitutional and thus illegal. However, many states in the South refused to acknowledge these rulings and continued to enforce Jim Crow laws, subsequently supporting segregation and a “separate but equal” standing between African-Americans and Caucasians.
The interracial rides officially began on May 4, 1961. There were 13 people of multiple diversities who attempted to ride from Washington D.C. to New Orleans. Met with massive resistance and violence, the riders’ goal was ultimately unmet as they did not manage to make it to New Orleans.
In Anniston, Ala., the group was met with incredible resistance by members of the Ku Klux Klan. The group waylaid the bus, slashing its tires. The riders were surrounded, stranded; some members of the KKK held the bus doors shut while others threw Molotov cocktails at it, trying to burn the activists to death. There was an as-of-yet undisclosed event that forced the members of the KKK to disperse, allowing the riders to retreat.
Upon arrival of the bus to the terminal in Anniston, the riders were viciously attacked by more KKK members, a move orchestrated by Police Sergeant Tom Cook, who was himself a Klan member.
In Birmingham, the situation escalated even further. Upon arrival, the riders were met with an angry mob, armed with all sorts of melee weapons from baseball bats to chains. They were viciously beaten and eventually arrested. Members of the community ranging from average citizens to FBI informants participated in the savage beatings.
Upon hearing about the Freedom Riders and the controversy surrounding them, Robert Kennedy, the Attorney General, urged the Freedom Riders to tone down their actions. In a statement by his brother, President John F. Kennedy, he vaguely referenced the movement by saying that civil rights distracted from foreign policy decisions.
The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) continued the rides despite the unsuccessful attempt to get to New Orleans. Again, upon arriving in Birmingham they were arrested and later transferred to Tennessee as the overlooking police official at the time was unable to stand their freedom songs while imprisoned.
The worst resistance the group met was in Montgomery. After again being savagely beaten and abandoned by public officials, the group’s supporters rallied at a local Baptist church. Over 1,500 supporters packed the chapel, led by Reverend Ralph Abernathy. Outside, an angry mob of around 3,000 white supremacists surrounded the church, pelting it with stones, bricks and fiery Molotov cocktails. Eventually the Alabama National Guard was called in to restore order.
A deal was struck between Mississippi and the federal government where local law enforcement would protect the Freedom Riders from mob violence which was gaining media attention. In exchange the federal government would not interfere with local officials arresting the riders for violating Jim Crow laws. On entering the bus depot in Mississippi, all of the Freedom Riders were immediately arrested.
144 Responses to “The Freedom Riders saga”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here yesterday, so I just took to piddeling around online and found…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here today, so I just took to messing around online and found…
Websites we think you should visit…
[...]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go through, so have a look[...]……
Links…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
News info…
I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting info…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG yesterday I found this…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG today I found this…
Tumblr article…
I saw a writer talking about this on Tumblr and it linked to…
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Sites we Like……
[...] Every once in a while we choose blogs that we read. Listed below are the latest sites that we choose [...]……
Related……
[...]just beneath, are numerous totally not related sites to ours, however, they are surely worth going over[...]……
Awesome website…
[...]the time to read or visit the content or sites we have linked to below the[...]……
Yahoo results…
While searching Yahoo I discovered this page in the results and I didn’t think it fit…
Recommeneded websites…
[...]Here are some of the sites we recommend for our visitors[...]……
Tumblr article…
I saw a writer talking about this on Tumblr and it linked to…
Related……
[...]just beneath, are numerous totally not related sites to ours, however, they are surely worth going over[...]……
Its hard to find good help…
I am constantnly saying that its hard to procure good help, but here is…
Yahoo results…
While browsing Yahoo I discovered this page in the results and I didn’t think it fit…
Its hard to find good help…
I am forever saying that its hard to find quality help, but here is…
Its hard to find good help…
I am regularly saying that its hard to find good help, but here is…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here yesterday, so I just took to messing around online and found…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG yesterday I noticed this…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here yesterday, so I just took to piddeling around on the internet and realized…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here yesterday, so I just took to messing around on the internet and found…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG yesterday I noticed this…
Websites you should visit…
[...]below you’ll find the link to some sites that we think you should visit[...]……
Just Browsing…
While I was surfing today I saw a great article about…
Yahoo results…
While browsing Yahoo I found this page in the results and I didn’t think it fit…
Just Browsing…
While I was surfing yesterday I noticed a excellent post about…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG yesterday I found this…
Tumblr article…
I saw someone talking about this on Tumblr and it linked to…
Yahoo results…
While searching Yahoo I found this page in the results and I didn’t think it fit…
Informative and precise…
Its hard to find informative and precise information but here I noted…
Its hard to find good help…
I am forever proclaiming that its difficult to find quality help, but here is…
Its hard to find good help…
I am forever saying that its difficult to procure good help, but here is…
Looking around…
I like to browse around the web, regularly I will go to Stumble Upon and read and check stuff out…
Its hard to find good help…
I am regularly saying that its hard to find quality help, but here is…
News info…
I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting information…
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here yesterday, so I just took to piddeling around online and found…
Digg…
While checking out DIGG today I noticed this…
Awesome website…
[...]the time to read or visit the content or sites we have linked to below the[...]……
Sites we Like……
[...] Every once in a while we choose blogs that we read. Listed below are the latest sites that we choose [...]……
Links…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Links…
[...]Sites of interest we have a link to[...]……
Sources…
[...]check below, are some totally unrelated websites to ours, however, they are most trustworthy sources that we use[...]……
Visitor recommendations…
[...]one of our visitors recently recommended the following website[...]……
Websites worth visiting…
[...]here are some links to sites that we link to because we think they are worth visiting[...]……
Websites we think you should visit…
[...]although websites we backlink to below are considerably not related to ours, we feel they are actually worth a go through, so have a look[...]……
Gems form the internet…
[...]very few websites that happen to be detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly well worth checking out[...]……
Read was interesting, stay in touch……
[...]please visit the sites we follow, including this one, as it represents our picks from the web[...]……
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day here today, so I just took to piddeling around online and found…
News info…
I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting information…
Awesome website…
[...]the time to read or visit the content or sites we have linked to below the[...]……
Visitor recommendations…
[...]one of our visitors recently recommended the following website[...]……
Check this out…
[...] that is the end of this article. Here you’ll find some sites that we think you’ll appreciate, just click the links over[...]……
Just Browsing…
While I was surfing yesterday I noticed a great article concerning…
Informative and precise…
Its hard to find informative and accurate information but here I found…
Recent Blogroll Additions……
[...]usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you’re new to this site[...]……
Cool sites…
[...]we came across a cool site that you might enjoy. Take a look if you want[...]……
Tumblr article…
I saw someone writing about this on Tumblr and it linked to…
Sites we Like……
[...] Every once in a while we choose blogs that we read. Listed below are the latest sites that we choose [...]……
Tumblr article…
I saw a writer talking about this on Tumblr and it linked to…
Looking around…
I like to surf in various places on the online world, regularly I will go to Digg and follow thru…
Looking around…
I like to look in various places on the internet, often I will just go to Stumble Upon and follow thru…
Informative and precise…
Its difficult to find informative and precise information but here I noted…
Just Browsing…
While I was browsing today I saw a great article about…
Looking around…
I like to surf in various places on the online world, regularly I will just go to Digg and follow thru…