• 1960 Supreme Court decision banned segregation on interstate buses and trains

– e.g. rest rooms, waiting rooms and restaurants for travellers

• 1961 students decided to test these laws

• Organised by a non-violent protest group called CORE

CORE

• Core - The Congress of Racial Equality• Founded - 1942• Aim – fight discrimination• Method – non violent, direct action• Membership – Black and White

Washington

New Orleans

4 May 1961, 13 members of CORE left Washington to ride to New Orleans, Louisiana in the south

Plan

• Black students would try to use ‘whites only’ wash rooms along the route

• Campaigners became known as ‘Freedom Riders’

Along the route…

Washington

New Orleans

• Faced heavy resistance in the South

• 14 May the buses arrived in Alabama

– Klan was waiting

Along the route…

Along the route…

Washington

New Orleans

• Anniston, Alabama the 2 buses were attacked by mob of about 200, both buses were fire bombed

• Passengers trying to get off were beaten

James Peck, a member of the Freedom Rides

When the bus pulled into Anniston, it was immediately surrounded by an angry mob armed with iron bars. They set about the vehicle, denting the sides, breaking windows, and slashing tires. Finally, the police arrived and the bus managed to depart. But the mob pursued in cars. Within minutes, the pursuing mob was hitting the bus with iron bars. The rear window was broken and a bomb was hurled inside. All the passengers managed to escape before the bus burst into flames and was totally destroyed. Policemen, who had been standing by, belatedly came on the scene. A couple of them fired into the air. The mob dispersed and the injured were taken to a local hospital.

Along the route…

Washington

New Orleans

• Students travelled on to Birmingham, where they got on another interstate bus

• Bus was stopped by 8 White men boarding the bus

Along the route…

Along the route…

Washington

New Orleans

• Students were beaten with sticks and chains

Along the route…

• Freedom Riders were determined to continue with their journey to New Orleans

• Police escorts were given to the Freedom Riders but this did not prevent violence

• During 1961 over 1000 people took part in Freedom Rides

• The Freedom Riders did not make it to New Orleans

• However, they were successful in many ways….

How Important were the Freedom Riders?

VERY

Late 1961 US Govt ordered end of segregation in airports, rail and bus stations

Made northern White Americans more sympathetic to cause

Attacks by Klan and fire bombed buses pictured in press and on TV

LIMITED

Did little to change the real problem – Blacks had little power to change way country was run

Great deal of segregation and discrimination still existed