LEARNING TOGETHER: The Story of America
In 1960 the Supreme Court ruled that segregated interstate transportation facilities were illegal. Despite this law, segregation continued especially in the South. With no one enforcing this ruling, it was easy for segregationists, local politicians, and local law enforcement to just ignore the law.
A year later, a group of brave young folks, Black and white, decided to challenge the Southern way of life by daring to ride the bus across state lines together. The Freedom Riders also wanted to end segregation in the restrooms, restaurants, waiting rooms, etc. that were located within the bus terminals.
Thirteen men and women boarded a Greyhound bus in our nation’s capital, Washington, D. C. With the Big Easy (New Orleans) their destination. They sat together, Black and white. They made it through Virginia and North Carolina okay. But when they arrived in South Carolina they (including John Lewis) were attacked when they tried to enter a for “whites only” area. Despite this brutal assault, they continued.
Once they reached the Deep South, Alabama, a racist mob was waiting. They attacked the bus. This prevented the Freedom Riders from stopping at the terminal. Although, they kept going, this didn’t stop the hateful white Southerners from chasing them. A bomb was thrown inside the bus. It caught fire. The mob surrounded the burning smoke-filled bus. Someone yelled, “Burn them alive!” Fortunately, the Freedom Riders managed to escape the scorching bus, but not without being beaten with rocks, bats, bricks, etc.
Because of the increase in vicious attacks from white Southerners, and the inability to find bus drivers willing to drive in the name of equality for all Americans, the first Freedom Rides were cancelled. They eventually flew to New Orleans to complete the journey.
Although, this attempt at forcing Southern states to obey federal laws regarding desegregation was unsuccessful, more Freedom Rides were to come.
Noteworthy Fact(s):
Determined not to let a bunch of haters stop freedom, this courageous woman named Diana Nash of SNCC along with a group of students decided to continue to ride from Nashville to New Orleans. They made it as far as Birmingham where they were promptly arrested.
John Lewis was just 21 when he stepped abroad a multiracial Greyhound bus, sat down wherever the hell he wanted to sit and challenged Southern segregationists.
The very first attempt at desegregating the bus systems occurred in 1947.
OUR HISTORY MATTERS
#19
This is what hate in America looks like.
