Freedom Rides

In 1947, CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) planned a "Journey of Reconciliation." This journey was supposed to test the Supreme Court Decision that segregated seating of interstate passengers was unconstitutional. Unfortunately, the journey ended quickly. It was obvious that the South was not ready for integration. The passengers were met with firm resistance.

In 1961, John F. Kennedy's elected. Based on his campaign, many blacks felt that Kennedy would be more sympathetic to the civil rights movement then Richard Nixon. However, after his win, Kennedy was not as committed as he claimed to be. CORE decided to test Kennedy's commitment to the civil rights movement by planning another journey through the South. This one would be called the "Freedom Ride." It had the same idea as the Journey of Reconciliation. Interracial groups would get on a bus and head south, testing segregation laws. Blacks would wait in the white waiting rooms and vice versa. All the riders prepared for violence and many were prepared to give their life.

On May 4th, 1961, the "Freedom Ride" left Washington D.C. with New Orleans marked as its destination.

On May 14th, the Freedom Riders split into two groups to travel through Alabama. When one group arrived in Anniston, they were faced with a mob of angry people throwing stones and slashing the bus tires. When the bus was finally able to get away, it stopped six miles away to change its tires. There, it was set on fire. When the second group arrived in Birmingham, they were physically beaten.

Although the riders were determined to continue, no bus companies or drivers were willing to risk their lives. So the riders flew to New Orleans thinking the Freedom Ride was over.

A group of Nashville students decided to go to Birmingham and continue the Freedom Ride. Kennedy pressure Greyhound to accept the ride. He arranged for police to be every 20 miles and a plane overhead. However, when the bus reached Montgomery, the police protection disappeared and violence began.

Martin Luther King J.R. flew to Montgomery and held a meeting to support the Freedom Riders. When it was concluded, thousands of whites surrounded the church so the blacks could not leave safely. Police and the National Guard were sent to declare martial law.

The riders still wanted to continue to Mississippi. Once there, they were not met with violence. Instead they were met by police who loaded them into a paddy wagon and brought them directly to jail. New freedom riders come to continue the journey. They too were arrested. By then end of the summer of 1961, 300 were arrested.

Although the freedom riders may not have reached their destination, they made an important contribution to the civil rights movement and the world we live in today. The riders forced the government to take a stand on civil rights. Additionally, the Interstate Commerce Commission outlawed segregation on interstate bus travel by making sure Supreme Court Rulings were more specific.