The First Ride
On May 4, 1961 the first Freedom Ride began. 13 protesters (7 black and 6 white) were led onto a bus by CORE director James Farmer. The group was led out of Washington on a Greyhound bus. The plan for the 13 protesters was to ride through Virginia, Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. The final destination would be New Orleans and Louisiana. Trouble strikes as the group travels through Virginia and North Carolina, but when reaching South Carolina, Genevieve Hughes, John Lewis, and Al Bigelow are beaten in Rock Hill. Some of the riders were arrested in Charlotte, NC and Winnsboro, SC.
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May 15, 1961 Mother's dayOn May 15, 1961 a mob of more than 100 members of the Klu Klux Klan attacked the freedom riders in Anninston AL. The Klansman slashed the tires, and smashed the windows of the Greyhound bus. The bus attempts to escape, but the attackers chase down the bus and set it on fire. The Klansman hold the door closed so that the protesters cannot escape attempting to burn the riders alive. Luckily, the bus had an undercover cop on the bus and forced the attackers away from the bus just in time before the gas tanks explode.
When the bus reaches Anniston the mob boards the bus and beats the Riders with their fists and with clubs, the bus manages to escape Anniston and the brutal attacks and head towards Birmingham where Bull Connor, the Commissioner of Public Saftey encourages another group of KKK members to attack the riders again. |
May 17, 1961 Resuming the Freedom RideAlthough the protesters know that they are risking their lives to fight for their rights, the Nashville Student Movement (NSM) will not allow the KKK to defeat the Ride. Student leader Diane Nash tells Rev.Shuttlesworth "The students have decided that we can't let violence overcome. We are coming into Birmingham to continue the Freedom Ride." Ten riders, (8 black and 2 white) take the bus from Nashville to Birmingham on May 17. When the Riders arrive at Birmingham they are arrested by Bull Connor, who then brings them to Tennessee and dumps them on the side of the road.
Now 19 protesters (16 black, 3 white) return to the Greyhound terminal. The driver refuses to let them ride the bus. "I have only one life to give, and i'm not going to give it to a NAACP or a CORE." says one driver. |
May 20, 1961, The ride resumesAfraid of Klan ambush, the bus heads south towards Montgomery at 90 miles an hour, escorted by Alabama highway patrol cars. But when the bus reaches Montgomery, the highway patrol disappears. When the Freedom Riders begin to step off the bus, hundreds of Klansman swarm the Riders and scream "Get the niggers!" The Klansman attack with baseball bats, broken bottles and lead pipes. Reporters are beaten and their cameras are smashed, this is why there are no pictures of the attack in Montgomery. One of the riders, John Lewis, was struck by a wooden crate to the head. The freedom riders were later blamed for the violence that occurred that day.
The Catholic St. Jude's hospital treated the wounded riders no matter what color they were. One of the riders, William Barbee, tells reporters (from his hospital bed) "As soon as we've recovered from this, we'll start again." Another rider, Zwerg says, "We are prepared to die." On the 21st of May, more than 1,200 black citizens gather in the Reverend Abernathy's 1st Baptist church to honor the Freedom Riders having Dr.King speak in their support. Outside the church, a mob of more than 3,000 whites harass and taunt the blacks and the Federal marshals that were protecting the church. The mob turns over a car and sets it on fire, the marshals try and protect the church from assault and fire bombs. Inside the church, the blacks sing hymns trying to become more powerful then the mob through song. The mob begins to throw rocks causing the church windows to shatter, tear gas seeps through the windows, children are sent to the basement of the church while Black men draw hidden pistols and prepare to defend their families. Reluctantly, President Kennedy moves towards committing federal troops, but Governor Patterson sends in the Alabama National Guard to separate the mob. The people try to leave the church but the Alabama National Guard forces them at bayonet point to remain in the tear gas filled building for the night. |
May 24, 1961 Arrests In JacksonOn a Wednesday morning, a dozen Freedom Riders go on a 250 mile journey to Jackson, Mississippi. When the bus arrives at Jackson, they attempt to use a "white only" restroom and are immediately arrested for Breach of Peace and Refusal to Obey an Officer. The mississippi Governor, Ross Barnett, says in defense of segregation: "The Negro is different because God made him different to punish him." In the jail, the riders shout "Jail No Bail." and are not paying fines for unconstitutional arrests and illegal convictions and by staying in the jail, they are keeping the issue alive. Every prisoner stayed in the jail for 39 days
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