Freedom Riders

Watch the full episode. See more American Experience.

I know I rarely post any more, but this opportunity sounds too good to pass up. American Experience will be airing an episode called Freedom Riders on May 16th. In honor of the 50th anniversary of this historic civil rights event, 40 college students will be boarding a bus today and following the route of these civil rights activists.

From the website: FREEDOM RIDERS is the powerful harrowing and ultimately inspirational story of six months in 1961 that changed America forever. From May until November 1961, more than 400 black and white Americans risked their lives—and many endured savage beatings and imprisonment—for simply traveling together on buses and trains as they journeyed through the Deep South. Deliberately violating Jim Crow laws, the Freedom Riders met with bitter racism and mob violence along the way, sorely testing their belief in nonviolent activism.

You can follow the present day riders and learn more about this time in history!