Freedom Riders: American Experience
We often take our civil rights for granted. Back in 1961, the United States was in the grip of segregation where a definite inequality existed if the color of your skin just happened to be black. Many states enforced this inequality with threats, beatings and imprisonment, especially in the South where terrorist acts and maltreatment was the order of the day under Jim Crow laws. But from May through November 1961, 400 brave college students--both black and white, both male and female--challenged these deep-rooted prejudices against black citizens. They banded together, bought Greyhound bus tickets and headed south into the unknown. Their goal was to challenge and test segregated travel facilities all over the South. Freedom Riders: American Experience chronicles their journeys and experiences. Freedom Riders: American Experience relates their courage in facing a system that needed a fix. In the end, their travels managed to bring the president and the entire American public face to face with the challenge of correcting civil-rights inequities that plagued the nation.
Freedom Riders: American Experience will premier Monday, May 16 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. on WCVE PBS. It will rebroadcast on Thursday, May 19 from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 21 at 12:00 midnight.
Freedom Riders: American Experience is complemented with its own website and teachers guide.
History/Social Science SOL: USII.9, VUS.14, GOVT.11
.... May, 1961. I was 12 years old - almost a "teenager".
And, I remember vividly watching the saga of the Freedom Riders each night on the CBS Evening News hosted by Walter Cronkite ... "That's the way it is, today, 1961."
For decades I have admired their courage, tenacity, persistence and bravery.
How can I / where can I find their e-mail addresses to correspond with them ... to thank them for their contribution to Civil Rights in American History ?
We ALL owe these Heros a debt of gratitude. Please help me find them.
Best regards,
Bruce Ziegler
I'm glad you enjoyed this very enlightening program! I suggest you go to the Freedom Riders website: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/
Click on the "Share Your Stories" tab to express your feelings for their contributions and how it impacted you. It's worth a try! I'm sure it will be passed along.
Thank you for sharing your memories - what a memorable time in our history.
While we don't have contact information for the individuals involved, you might be able to reach them through American Experience at WGBH - our sister PBS station that produced the film. You can leave comments at the American Experience site or use the contact form to pass along your message.
Here's a link the American Experience site.
At the bottom of the American Experience home page you can see a link to contact the folks at American Experience - or you can click here
Hope this is helpful.
Ami Kim, Social Media Manager
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