February 23, 2021: The 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides
Join OWLS Mary Leonard Chapter for a Civil Rights CLE with Ron Silver on The 60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides.
On May 4, 1961, 13 Americans, Black and White, young and old, male and female left Washington, D.C. aboard a greyhound bus and a trailways bus, headed for New Orleans. They were the first Freedom Riders, determined to make real the Supreme Court’s decision that bus station bathrooms, lunch, and ticket counters were “instrumentalities of interstate commerce” and could not be segregated. After this first group was almost murdered by the KKK, with the assistance of local law enforcement, hundreds more riders picked up the journey. The Freedom Riders challenged President Kennedy, Attorney General Robert Kennedy, southern governors, southern prisons, multiple national guards, and the federal judiciary, until finally they finally prevailed. Their bravery set the stage for the Civil Rights victories in Birmingham, Jackson, and Selma.
Ron Silver served as an Assistant US Attorney for 33 years, including seven years as Chief of the Civil Division. Ron has lectured extensively on the history of the Civil Rights movement, bringing stories to life and connecting them to current issues.
When: Tuesday, February 23, from 12-1 p.m.
Where: Zoom teleconference; details will be sent by email to registrants
This program was approved for 1.0 Access to Justice under program number 76699.
Event materials:
