M 1961 FREEDOM RIDES

On May 29, 1960 the U S Supreme Court, in Boynton Vs Virginia,  over turned the conviction of a Black attorney for trespassing by being in a "whites only" restaurant which was inside a bus terminal.  Because the restaurant was inside the bus terminal, Article I, Section 8 of the U S Constitution gave the federal government authority to overrule the states laws.  The Southern States ignored the Supreme Court mandate to desegregate bus terminals. This defiance resulted in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE)  to organize a large group of volunteers to ride a series of buses throughout the south beginning in May and lasting through September 1961.  the trips were called "FREEDOM RIDES."

The volunteers were called "FREEDOM RIDERS."  They numbered over 400 and came from 40 of the 48 states.  They were trained in "non violence" tactics.  About 1/2 were white, nearly 75% were between the ages of 18 and 30; and most were college students. James Farmer, co-founder & director of CORE, stated:

   "The goal of the Rides, was to create a crisis so that the federal government would be compelled to enforce the law."

On May 4, 1961 the first FREEDOM RIDE began consisting of two regularly scheduled buses: one a Greyhound, the other a Trailways.  They planned to ride from Washington, D C to New Orleans, Louisiana.  13 FREEDOM RIDERS participated: 7 BLACK & 6 WHITE.  They reached Atlanta having met lots of hate but little violence.  The next stop would be Birmingham, Alabama; a 4 hour ride.  The Greyhound Bus had 14 passengers: 7 FREEDOM RIDERS, 2 Journalists, 3 regular customers and 2 undercover plain clothes Alabama Highway Patrol officers. It departed an hour before the Trailways.  Busses Are-a  Coming (4:09 video) written by the FREEDOM RIDERS while in a Jackson, Mississippi jail.  They inspire more FREEDOM RIDERS to come to Jackson.  Eventually 300 are jailed and President Kennedy begins enforcing the law.  The FREEDOM RIDERS WIN.

When the Greyhound bus arrived  in the  bus terminal, IT WAS CLOSED.  Suddenly the bus was surrounded by a mob carrying metal pipes, clubs, and chains.  They smashed the bus, slashed the tires, and broke several windows.  The Anniston police arrived and cleared a path and motioned for the bus to exit the station.  A  police car escorted the Greyhound to the city limits and then turned back.  30 to 40 cars & pick up trucks followed the Greyhound.  6 miles later a pair of flat tires forced the bus to pullover in front of a local grocery store.  Locking the bus door behind him, The bus driver ran into the store to use a  phone to call for replacement tires.  The mob surrounded the bus and rocked it attempting to turn it on its side.  

One man tried to unlock the door but was dissuaded by one of the two Undercover Highway patrol men and his gun.  Two Alabama Highway patrolmen arrived on the scene but neither made any effort to disperse the crowd.  Two members of the mob, Roger Couch and Cecil "Goober" Lewallyn smashed a window and tossed a flaming bundle of rags through it causing the bus to fill with smoke.  Several passengers managed to crawl out the windows and fall to the ground.  As they were being attacked, a fuel tank exploded scarring the attackers to back off.  All the passengers managed to escape.  Several warning shots into the air by the two Alabama Highway Patrolmen convinced the mob to disperse.      Watch this video 2:36.

THE BUSSES ARE A-COMING (VIDEO 4:09)

A song written by the FIRST FREEDOM RIDERS while imprisoned in the Jackson, Mississippi jail.

It attracted more FREEDOM RIDERS. Eventually 300 FREEDOM RIDERS were imprisoned in the Jackson, Mississippi jail.

As a consequence, President Kennedy began enforcing the law and protecting the FREEDOM RIDERS with soldiers.