Los Angeles Bus Riders Union

Following, on May 4, 1961, a mixed group of 13 African Americans and white civil rights activist led the Freedom Rides (Freedom Rides?). Similar, to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Freedom Rides traveled to various cities in the south to protest against segregation of the bus terminals. History.com staff concurs “the Freedom Rides, a series of bus trips through the American South to protest segregation in interstate bus terminals.” The purpose of the freedom riders was to openly disobey the Jim Crow laws in the south in a nonviolent fashion. This was a dangerous journey, many of these people were beaten, arrested, and even the buses were destroyed. Yet, they persevered (“Freedom Riders: The Nashville Connection”). History.com staff, adds “The Freedom Riders, were recruited by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), a U.S. civil rights group, they departed from Washington D.C., and attempted to integrate facilities at bus terminals along the way in the Deep South.” African Americans would try to use the “whites only” bathrooms and counters, which attracted attention and violence (Freedom Rides). According to the history.com staff due to the efforts of the Freedom Rides, “in September 1961, the interstate Commerce Commission issued regulations prohibiting segregation in bus and train nationwide.” The

The Freedom Riders made a profound impact on the civil rights movement by creating a large public outcry for their struggles, which eventually led to laws prohibiting segregated transportation. Their courage and bravery in the face of a multitude of violent attacks, helped to bring the struggles of African Americans to a prominent national and global stage. Because of the courageous efforts of the Freedom Riders, bus desegregation was no longer simply the written law. It was a

The protests full effect was achieved through the feet and resiliency of the travelers that organized carpools and walked long miles to work. Even with threats of violence and job loss, African Americans, many of which were poor, effectively crippled a bus system that received over 60 percent of its revenue from the African American community- they were resilient.

Since the Supreme Court case of Plessy Vs Ferguson way back in 1892, which ruled the separation of blacks and whites constitutional as long as all public facilities provided were “separate but equal,” the United States had been segregated. As with all other public facilities at the time, the busses in Montgomery Alabama were also subject to this segregation, and it wasn’t until 1956 with the beginning of what became to be known as the “Montgomery Bus

of the 1960s, a collection of peaceful protests and boycotting of public transportation systems to

They refused to move to the segregated spots on the bus once they arrived in a segregated state. The events that caused the Freedom Riders was the segregation on public transportation. Some groups that were involved in the Freedom Riders were the Congress on Racial Equality, since the organization recruited the Freedom Riders, and also the Interstate Commerce Commission, because that organization was the one to prohibit segregation on busses and trains throughout America in September 1961(“Freedom Riders”). There was a need for the formation of the freedom Riders because it was clear to many people that segregation on public transportation was not only an outdated practice, but also racist, it needed to be stopped once and for

Blacks have long endured the brutality of criticism because of their skin color. The Freedom Riders took on abuse and a burning bus to test the Court’s ruling, equal transportation for Blacks and Whites. Non-violent sit-ins were another step towards getting Blacks equal rights. Four African American college students walked up to a

This was unequal protection under the law. On May 20th,within 40 miles all sign of protection for the riders had disappeared. From Article 1, section 8 of the Constitution, gives Congress or the Federal government the authority and rights to organize the ICC, (the Interstate Commerce Commission.) The ICC was the desegregation of public transportation, busses can cross over state lines. Jim Lawson along with the other non violent protesters, had the right to protest, they were kept in jail, wrongly punished, taking part in the Lunch counter sit in starting in Greensboro. Did not receive dual process, The Habeas corpus is where a person may not be held by the government without a valid reason for being held.The whites who used force and violence did not get punished for their actions, nothing was thought of it. The Freedom Riders tactic was an interracial group ride through the south promoting the rights the supreme court said they could do. On Mother's Day, May 14th, the lead bus was firebombed, 12 rides hospitalized and the bus destroyed. The ride to Jacksonville was forced to protect the Constitutional Rights of the Freedom Riders, upon arrival the court accused the Riders of trespassing, they followed along with the plan to make sure they arrived safely, but they could chose to do whatever they wanted once the Riders were in their district. Other events that occurred during the Civil Rights Movement was in the Spring of 1960, sudden cease in the spending of money downtown with the intentions that pressure will change the rules and regulations. The National boycott spread to the North, and the whites started to become fearful. Throughout this time the African Americans remained calm, and continued to stand up for equality, they were determined to be free, violence was reported to

The Freedom Riders tested this decision and poor implementation of the law by riding the buses in the South in blended racial groups to test neighborhood laws or traditions that upheld seating segregation on buses. The Freedom Rides, and the brutal responses: stirred outrage, and supported the Civil Rights Movement. They called national attention to the

Almost 100 years had passed since the Civil War, but segregation was still the way of living in the South. Changes were coming but they were slow (Perlman). Brian Daugherity says that the Freedom Riders were “A key step in a whole chain of events that led to the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Bill,”(Perlman). With the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the equality movement in Little Rock the Freedom Riders became a very well known group. They started the world publicity of the racial struggles and discrimination endured by African Americans, and brought forth the changes that are in place today (Spartacus). The freedom rides were inspired by the Congress Of Racial Equality, or CORE. CORE was a Civil Rights group that would go to areas for whites only and ask for services. If they were served they considered the business to be following the Federal law. If they were arrested they would comply, not resist (Perlman). The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People became involved in ending the issues of segregation on public transportation (Gourley). In 1952 the segregation of interstate railroads was declared illegal and unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. This was just before a similar judgement about interstate buses (Gourley). The Freedom Riders contributed greatly to the Civil Rights movement, court cases, and how we live

The Freedom Riders made a series of bus trips in the summer of 1961 to set out and force legal gratification of the decision that declared segregation in railways and bus terminal accommodations illegal. (Burg) The emotional and physical strive and risks the Riders made to continue the ride, to ameliorate segregation. (Burg, Benson) The Riders were not blessings or heroes, but just common people who saw through the racism and resentment towards African Americans and chose to respond to the problem, risking their own lives, to make the nation a more adequate place for African Americans even though an abounding amount of problems faced them.

Referring to the Association's involvement with the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 and its role in funding and providing legal assistance to black students' seeking admission to the state university, the suit charged that the Association was ". . . causing irreparable injury to the property and civil rights of the residents and citizens of the State of Alabama for which criminal prosecution and civil actions at law afford no adequate relief . . . ." On the day this suit was filed, the circuit court agreed to issue an ex parte order restraining the Association from conducting business in the state or taking steps to qualify it to do

Bus discrimination was a major issue during the 1960’s. Rosa Parks, a black woman, bravely refused to get up from a designated "white" seat on a public bus. In turn, Mrs. Parks was arrested for disobedience of the law. This controversy led to an entire boycott by black people of bus transportation. This highly threatened the economy due to the statistic that 75% of the riders on public busses were black. This scared the city to altering the bus laws so that there was no discrimination towards public transportation. This highly effective method of peaceful protest by blacks led the Civil Rights movement to greater hights.

First of all, It was succesful because African Americans had other ways of transportation besides the bus. Secondly, there is a threat to the city’s government because the bus companies are losing money;due to three fourths of the riders that are black.This was succesful because it made the bus companies lose money. Lastly,It is all over the news and people will eventually start to see it and watch it .Now more and more people heard it and will start to agree with eachother.This is also very succesful because by sharing this news will increase money.As said from Rosa Parks,” You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right” -Rosa

During the Civil Rights movement of the 1950's and 60's, women played an undeniably significant role in forging the path against discrimination and oppression. Rosa Parks and Jo Ann Robinson were individual women whose efforts deserve recognition for instigating and coordinating the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of 1955 that would lay precedent for years to come that all people deserved equal treatment despite the color of their skin. The WPC, NAACP, and the Montgomery Churches provided the channels to organize the black public into a group that could not be ignored as well supported the black community throughout the difficult time of the boycott.