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Lay Bare The Heart Analysis

Decent Essays

Lay Bare the Heart by James Farmer tells the story of a terrifying, yet exciting Civil Rights movement. It begins in 1961 and jumps right into action when James Farmer, the CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) principal founder and last survivor of the “Big Four”, boards the Greyhound (Alabama-bound) bus with the Freedom Riders. With a little bit of convincing from Doris Castle, a 16-year-old CORE member, he decided that it was right for him to proceed. He was well advised that there would be trouble ahead; nevertheless, Mr. Farmer wasn’t terror-stricken. When they arrived in Jackson, Mississippi, the trouble began. Over two dozen policemen were surrounding the Freedom Riders and they were arrested.
The Freedom rides were put together by Mr. Farmer and consisted of a mixed race of people. They all followed the rule: “Jail no bail.” This ride was non-violent and resulted in turmoil near the south. This smart idea made James Farmer a powerful leader in the Civil Rights movement. No one had the same amount of courage and fight inside as he did. While in jail, the Freedom Riders were mistreated by policemen; they were cursed at and humiliated. To get through the constant interrogations, they sang songs like: “We Shall Overcome”, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around”, and “Back of The Bus.” More Freedom Riders were sent to jail and each member ended up having a year sentence. James Farmer urged members to remain in jail for at least 40 days before bail. I, personally, don’t

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