Freedom Riders History

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Freedom Riders The Freedom Riders were a group of people recruited by the Congress of Racial Equality who organized Freedom Rides throughout the American south. The Freedom Riders challenged the 1960 decision made in Boynton v Virginia, which prohibited racial segregation in interstate transportation, and was modeled after the 1947 “Journey of Reconciliation” organized by the Congress of Racial Equality. Led by civil rights activist James Farmer, the Freedom Riders planned to travel from Washington D.C. to New Orleans, Louisiana. On May 4, 1961, 7 African Americans and 6 Whites began on their journey from Washington D.C. in a Greyhound and Trailway bus.. They encountered little resistance as they passed through Virginia and North Carolina. But they …show more content…
When news reached Diane Nash of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), she was infuriated, she wanted to continue the Freedom Rides. She said that stopping the freedom rides will not only kill the movement but will also send the wrong signal to the people of America. So on May 14, a second group of freedom riders departed from Nashville, Tennessee to support the whatever remained of the freedom riders in Alabama. A problem arose as they were unable to find any bus drivers to ride the new group of freedom riders. Attorney General and brother of president John F. Kennedy Robert Kennedy talked to Alabama governor John Patterson to organize a bus driver for the Freedom Riders. Once they have united with the the remaining freedom riders, they continued their ride to New Orleans under state trooper surveillance. On May 20, the freedom riders were arrived at Montgomery, Alabama. As promised the state troopers were allowed to leave, but the local police that were suppose to show up to protect the freedom riders never

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