Freedom Riders
The purpose for the creation of the Freedom Riders was to have a nonviolent protest against racial discrimination. In an attempt to violate segregation laws in the south, the Freedom Riders were a mix of Blacks and Whites who, together, rode in small busses all the way from Washington D.C. to New Orleans. The Riders were hoping to get the movement into the deep south and wanted to start a national movement. Not only did the Riders have to be trained on what to do when violently attacked, they also had to prepare mentally for all the hateful comments and chants that they would receive. The Freedom Riders had a long and cruel journey ahead of them, but they were willing to confront it all if it meant leaving a powerful impact.
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Many times people believe that the Freedom Riders got the results they wanted without facing any hardships, but this was not the case. In my opinion, the part of the video I felt most exposed me to the history of the Freedom Riders was when they arrived to Anniston, Alabama. There was a crowd of at least 200 men waiting for the Riders as they arrived, and these men were not there to offer a friendly welcome. These men laid in front of the Greyhound bus, to assure themselves that it could not go anywhere, and yelled harmful words to the Riders. Not only did these men yell vulgar words, but they also went up to the bus to hit the windows with the sole purpose of scaring off the Riders. The part that really shocked me was when these men followed the bus up until it got a flat tire and set the fuel tank on fire, putting at risk the life of all these innocent people. Although the Riders were constantly being haunted by hate crimes, they refused to give in to violence and give up on their mission. This movement played a major role in our history, but it is important to remember and recognize what the Riders had to suffer …show more content…
Many Riders ended up in hospital beds with serious injuries due to the amount of violence they received. Unfortunately for the United States, the movement received lots of negative press and when the news of what was occurring began spreading, America was greatly embarrassed. The state of Alabama was the most dangerous part of the trip for the Riders and it got to the point where U.S. Marshals had to step in to stop the violence. On September 22nd, the signs that segregated the Blacks and Whites finally came down. The movement opened the path to many more victories in civil rights. The Freedom Riders proved how powerful nonviolent protest can be and brought a sense of unity to our
The original 'Freedom Rides' in the American South were a series of student political protests that took the form of bus journeys through the southern states. Student volunteers, both African American and white, rode interstate into the pro-segregationist south, to bring awareness to and fight for person of colours rights. This eventually led to violent protest and hostility that additionally increased public awareness of racism in society through this intensive media coverage. Due to international coverage, protests in support of the Civil Rights movement occurred in Australia as well, supporting the Civil Rights Bill that was being considered by the United States
The documentary shows the diligent planning and training that occurred before any buses were loaded up. The students that were leaders of SNCC realized, somewhat, that danger would be present in trying to make a drastic social change. SNCC knew that they had to be tedious in choosing students that would be a part of this movement. These young adults had to have a stable demeanor and a certain wisdom about them (Freedom Summer). Those chosen would then go through a training process before leaving for
The Freedom Rides, integrated interstate buses driving throughout the south in protest of segregation, were attacked along their route. A mob of anti-immigration protesters firebombed a bus and physically assaulted its riders. Kennedy had originally refused to meet with the Freedom Riders, but was then forced to send in 400 federal marshals to protect the buses and their occupants. Kennedy often had a hesitant initial response to civil rights protest, this can be seen in his refusal to meet with the Freedom Riders and his original discouragement of the March on Washington. Despite this, Kennedy was beneficial to the Civil Rights movement on a whole.
They overcame their fears and stood up for what they believed was
Why were the Freedom Riders important? They created a way to show racist people in the south that they were equal, it showed the importance becoming an equal and not a separated nation. They began the Freedom Rides to celebrate ¨ Brown vs. the board of education,¨ but it became an essential piece of the civil rights movement. The Freedom Rides were mainly organized by the Congress of Racial Equality; they recreated the trips as they had done before in “1946 when the case of Morgan v. Virginia declared that segregated buses were unconstitutional.” These extraordinary people were truly hated in the deep south because they tried using white-only bathrooms and diners, and many southerners persecuted and got them arrested because they didn't
It also was a window of opportunity for all the society’s components to show their real desire to support freedom and create a cohesive society where justice prevails among all regardless of their race or color. Everyone now who is enjoying all kinds of rights should be grateful for those who fought to remove all kinds of legal barriers for the next
This became known as the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Bus companies began to loose tons of money because whites even began to join in. Eventually, buses desegregated so they would start gaining the money they were losing.
They used the tactics of black self-reliance and violence as a means of self defense. Young people played a large part in the freedom riders. In May of 1961, thirteen people known as freedom riders left on a greyhound bus. The goal was for these thirteen people to reach New Orleans, Louisiana to commemorate Brown v Board of Education anniversary. However large amounts violence occurred when the freedom writers entered white only areas.
Through the use of nonviolent tactics such as, passive resistance, these individuals embarked on buses that took them all across the south. The first portion of these individuals journeys went without
The nineteen hundreds marked a period of improvement in all aspects of society: economy, politics, standard of living, technology, and entertainment. However, one thing that did not improve till the late nineteen hundreds was integration of African Americans into society. While it took several years for legislation to pass the Civil Rights Act, it was achieved through new organizations, protests, and court cases which passed laws in favor of desegregation. Considering African Americans were still facing segregation-despite the passage of amendments and laws in their favor- they knew the only way they could make a change was to take matters into their own hands.
The 1963 March on Washington is arguably the most notable event of the cutting edge civil rights movement. More than 250,000 people from across America came together in Washington D.C. in a peaceful demonstration with the hope of bringing an end to racial segregation within the educational system, as well as help to create job equality as well as the freedom of African-Americans as a whole. The march played a pivotal role in the growing fight for civil rights, no more so than that of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. It was a discourse of hope and determination, and it typified the message the marchers declared of racial equality and a conviction that Black and White Americans could live respectively in peace. This essay will
It caused further segregation throughout the country. As blacks began to speak out for freedom and equality, whites pushed back. Rather than listening to the speeches of black leaders in order to understand their plight for equality, whites ignored peaceful protests and instead used police force to subdue large crowds. The Montgomery bus boycott succeeded in ending the ordinance for the segregation between blacks and whites on public buses. However, it further segregated the social interactions between the two races.
In March: Book 2, he describes the Freedom Rides as "a test, a trial by fire, a baptism" (Lewis, 2015, p. 88). The metaphor of the Freedom Rides as a test evokes the idea of facing a rigorous examination of one's beliefs, commitment, and resilience. By employing this metaphor, Lewis emphasizes the demanding nature of the movement, highlighting that participation in the Freedom Rides required individuals to endure physical violence, endure verbal abuse, and confront systemic oppression. The use of the word "test" conveys a sense of purpose and determination, suggesting that the Freedom Rides served as a crucible through which activists could prove their dedication to the cause. Additionally, the mention of "baptism" in the metaphorical description of the Freedom Rides adds another layer of meaning.
All the victims speaking up for the movement indicates that they will no longer tolerate the silencing of their voices because of political and social power. The movement is a great example of how intersectionality is considered in modern day issues and is a very effective tool for creating consideration of all factors in
Unbenounced to her, Rosa Parks’ refusal to give up her seat to a white man ignited one of the largest and most successful mass movements in opposition to racial segregation in history. At a time when African Americans experienced racial discrimination from the law and within their own communities on a daily basis, they saw a need for radical change and the Montgomery bus boycott helped push them closer to achieving this goal. Unfortunately, much of black history is already excluded from textbooks, therefore to exclude an event as revolutionary to the civil rights movement as this one would be depriving individuals of necessary knowledge. The Montgomery bus boycott, without a doubt, should be included in the new textbook because politically