In 1960, the Supreme Court decided that segregation was illegal. The southern States were angry about this decision and ignored it, continuing to uphold segregation laws.
Groups of male and female African American and White Americans of different ages decided to challenge segregation laws by riding interstate buses from the North to the segregated south. This made White Supremacists angry and many of them attacked the Freedom Riders and destroyed their buses. Their attacks only made Freedom Riders more persistent! They continued to take interstate buses to the south, in fact, over 400 Americans from May- November 1961 joined their rides.
The Freedom Riders were so important in the civil rights movement. They inspired those who wanted equality to work together and use their voices to create change. The Freedom Riders remind us that our voices have power.
