Freedom Rider's Involvement In Civil Disobedience

Freedom Rider John Lewis once said, “If not us then who? If not now, then when? Will someone else’s children have to risk their lives instead of us risking ours?” (Toronto). By this he meant if theFreedom Rider’s have risked their lives who would, and when would someone take a stand. Freedom Riders involvement in civil disobedience was due to personal influences, the group chose to participate in civil disobedience to protest race segregation, and they also finally achieved success using their controversial method of standing up for what they strongly believe in. Civil disobedience is a form of protest where protestors break the laws to make a point (Suber). The purpose in having civil disobedience is to achieve change in government policies
Frederick Leonard was one of the many riders and he once said, “As walked through the police just said ‘keep moving’ and let us go through the white side, we never got stopped. They just said ‘keep moving’ and passed us right on through the white terminal in the paddy wagon and into jail.” Robert Kennedy and Mississippi’s Senator James O, Eastland reached a compromise. Kennedy promised not to use any federal troops only if there was no mob violence. The riders are now at mercy of the local courts. Everyone was tried on May 25, as much as the attorney defended them the judge did not care. As soon as the attorney finished making his statements they were all sentenced to sixty days in the state penitentiary. Riders continued to arrive in the south, they were arrested as well. By the end of the summer over three hundred riders had been arrested. Even though no one made it to New Orleans, most spent their summer in the pen. Most were so scared from the brutal beating they had received but the effort they made was not set aside it forced the Kennedy administration to take a stand in civil rights which was the main intent for the rides. The Interstate Commerce Commission, at the request of Mr. Robert Kennedy, outlawed the bus segregation law. This was taken into affect on September 1961. The freedom riders may not have finished their journey, but they did make a huge impact in the civil rights movement (Watson). John Lewis said, “It was a ride meant to awaken the heart of America to the injustice of its own laws and tradition” (birthplace). The event that took place was meant for America to realize that times are changing and laws should change. The Freedom Riders eventually got what they wanted even though they did not complete their ride. The Interstate Commerce Commission outlawed the bus segregation