White And African American Civil Rights Activists: Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders were both white, and African American Civil Rights Activists in the South during 1961. Both cultures would take bus trips to southern states and protest at "Whites Only" premises such as restrooms, lunch tables, and even buses. Freedom Rides were coordinated by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) after the making of the 1947 Journey of Reconciliation. White and African American bus riders challenged the 1946 U.S Supreme Court Decision in the Morgan and Virginia case which made it obviously segregated; assigned seating for African Americans was ludicrous. Although both African American and white people would travel, Black riders would be the ones traveling to American south and still be tormented with racial slurs.
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The rioters fallowed along and once the bus tires went flat they threw a bomb in the bus. Luckily, the freedom riders escaped safely as the bus went up in flames. Due to ongoing violence, directors could not find a bus driver who would agree to transport the unified group, and decided to abandon the Freedom Rides. An activists named Diane Nash organized a group of 10 people to pursue on these rides. John F. Kennedy’s brother, U.S Attorney Robert F. Kennedy began to compromise with Alabama governor John Patterson to secure protection for the new freedom riders involved. The rides finally continued on May 20th with a Grey Hound bus departing from Birmingham under police
A white mob attacked the freedom riders with baseball bats as the individuals were getting off the bus. General Kennedy ordered 600 federal marshals to go contain the violence downtown. Another incident occurred on May 24th, 1961 when a group of Freedom Riders left Montgomery to Jackson Mississippi. Only upon arrival, were several hundred protestors acknowledged the riders with respect. When the African American riders attempted to use “Whites only” properties they were detained and for trespassing and were sent to a maximum penitentiary in Parchman Mississippi. When in court, the judge was paying more attention to the wall instead of listening to what the Freedom Riders had to say. The riders were sentenced for 30 days in jail.
The riders had failed to make it New Orleans. Nonetheless, the publicity that was portrayed during these civil rights movements made it possible for blacks to use disobedience as a strategy to regain their rights. Freedom rides lit up the courage of black and white young folks and praised the leadership of Diane Nash. It also inspired the Freedom Summer Campaign and the Selma Movement as well as making it less of a hassle to vote. Schools began to integrate from just white schools to both black and white