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In 1961, during the first year of John F. Kennedy's presidency, more than 400 Americans participated in a dangerous experiment designed to awaken the conscience of a complacent nation.
The Riders' plan was deceptively simple: traveling together in small interracial groups, they sat where they pleased on buses and trains, terminal restaurants and waiting rooms. They did so knowing that their actions would almost certainly prompt a violent direct action – many endured savage beatings and imprisonment. Invoking the philosophy of nonviolent direct action, they willingly put their bodies on the line for the cause of racial justice.
But issues of race – then, as now – are rarely simple. -- Freedom Riders Study Guide, Facing History and Ourselves.
Reenacting the Freedom Rides with Twitter
Students at the Open High School of Utah are creating a Twitter reenactment of the Freedom Rides. First Tweets begin May 5, 2011. Follow on Twitter.
What is TwHistory?What is TwHistory? This short video explains what TwHistory is and how you can participate in or create virtual historical reenactments.
American Experience: Freedom Riders
This film tells the story of civil rights activists called "Freedom Riders" which took brave actions to dismantle the structures of discrimination through nonviolence.
Utah's Freedom Riders This KUED-7 documentary highlights the contributions many Utahns have made to the Civil Rights movement.
Wikipedia: Freedom Rides Learn about the Freedom Rides from Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia.
Freedom Riders: A Brief History A quick overview of what happened before, during and after the Freedom Rides created by the volunteers of the Freedom Riders Foundation.
National Youth Summit: Freedom Rides This website includes a recorded webcast of members of the 1961 Freedom Rides discussing their experiences in the movement and a teachers guide.
Recollections by David Fankhauser David was arrested in Jackson, Mississippi during the Freedom Rides. Here is an onlne collection of his memories of the event.
- Why did people join the Freedom Rides?
- When prejudice and racism are supported by both custom and law, what can be done to create a more inclusive society? How do you explain why there is often so much resistance to change?
- How does nonviolent direct action expose injustice? Why was it such an effective strategy for bringing about change during the civil rights movement?
- What role did the media play in the Freedom Rides? How to media shape our understanding of the issues of our time?
- What does the story of the Freedom Rides suggest about the role of citizens in shaping democracy?
- Who were the Freedom Riders?
Democracy in Action: A Study Guide This guide supports educators and students in their use of the documentary "American Experience: Freedom Riders"..
JFK, Freedom Riders, and the Civil Rights Movement Students learn how civil rights activists, state & local officials, and the Administration of President Kennedy come into conflict during the early 1960s.
Freedom Rides - ThinkfinityThinkfinity gathered this collection of Civil Rights lesson plans and activities in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides.
The Children Shall Lead CurriculumThe Children Shall Lead is a film which documents the 1961 Freedom Rides. Here are classroom support materials that were developed for this program.
We Are The Freedom RidersStudents will explore the power of group singing in the civil rights movement.
Videos in eMedia
Utah educators and students can download the following videos from UEN's eMedia.
My America. Symbols of Freedom & Justice Turkey and Eagle visit historic monuments and memorials that symbolize freedom and justice for all Americans. Students learn that "justice" means being fair to everyone.
My America. America In Its Own WordsStudents learn how America's ideals, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, are goals we still strive to meet today.
My America. What is an American? America is a land of immigrants. This program gives students a sense of the different cultures, languages and heritages that make up this great land.
Great American Authors. 1950-1957 If the lost generation authors were searching for identity and meaning, the group of authors in this program rejected everything about mainstream America.
Great American Authors. 1958-Present This generation of writers witnessed and participated in WWII, The Korean War, The Cold War, The Civil Rights movement, and Vietnam.
American Experience. Murder of Emmett Till The murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till, a black boy who whistled at a white woman in a Mississippi grocery store in 1955, was a powerful catalyst for the civil rights movement.
- September 19th 7:00 PM - Community Gathering: 'Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement: Community Organizing, Nonviolent Resistance, and Social Change in the 21st Century' Salt Lake Community College
- September 26th 7:00 PM - Community Gathering: 'Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement: Art and Activism' Westminster College
- September 26th Noon - Public Forum: 'Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement: Art and Activism' Westminster College
- October - March - Center for Documentary Expression and Art Exhibit This Light of Ours (pdf) @ The Leonardo
- October 3rd 7:00 PM - Community Gathering: 'Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement: Teaching the Movement' University of Utah
- October 4th Noon - Public Forum: 'Legacies of the Civil Rights Movement: Teaching the Movement' University of Utah
- April 11th 7:00 PM - Speech: Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author Nicholas Kristof is the Keynote Speaker for the 2011 Student Conference on Writing & Social Justice. Salt Lake Community College