nge_ngen_h-3618 h-3618 ngen nge yes Freedom Rides Hatfield, Edward A. Congress of Racial Equality Civil rights--Southern States African Americans--Civil rights--Southern States Buses--Southern States Bus terminals--Southern States Bus lines--Southern States Trailways Greyhound Lines Railroads--Southern States Railroad stations--Southern States Railroad travel--Southern States African Americans--Travel--Southern States Segregation in transportation--Southern States Segregation--Southern States Segregationists--Southern States Compliance Discrimination--Southern States Race discrimination--Southern States Race relations Southern States--Race relations Discrimination in restaurants--Southern States Restaurants--Southern States Interstate commerce--Southern States Federal-state controversies--Southern States Intervention (Federal government)--Southern States Intimidation--Southern States Mobs--Southern States Riots--Southern States Race riots--Southern States Racism--Southern States White supremacy movements--Southern States Violence--Southern States Social justice--Southern States African Americans--Crimes against--Southern States Offenses against the person--Southern States Offenses against the person--South Carolina--Rock Hill Offenses against the person--Alabama--Birmingham Offenses against the person--Alabama--Montgomery Southern States--Politics and government--20th century Southern States--Social conditions--20th century Southern States--History--20th century Jails--Southern States Imprisonment--Southern States Arrest--Southern States Police--Southern States Police chiefs--Southern States Direct action--Southern States Nonviolence--Southern States Ku Klux Klan (1915- ) Assault and battery--South Carolina--Rock Hill Assault and battery--Alabama--Birmingham Assault and battery--Alabama--Montgomery African Americans--Violence against Civil rights workers--Violence against Incendiary bombs--Alabama--Anniston Bombings--Alabama--Anniston United States. Interstate Commerce Commission Civil rights demonstrations--Georgia--Albany Demonstrations--Georgia--Albany Government, Resistance to--Southern States Freedom Rides, 1961 Albany Movement (Albany, Ga.) Farmer, James, 1920- Connor, Eugene, 1897-1973 Bigelow, Albert, 1906- Lewis, John, 1940 Feb. 21- King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968 Booker, Simeon, 1918- Patterson, John, 1921 Sept. 27- Kennedy, Robert F., 1925-1968 Encyclopedia article about the Freedom Rides organized by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in the spring and summer of 1961. CORE sponsored a series of integrated bus rides throughout the South to test compliance with recent court rulings banning segregation in interstate travel. Subsequently known as the Freedom Rides, the protests garnered national support for civil reforms and forced the federal government's involvement in African Americans' struggle for freedom. Although Freedom Riders traveled unmolested through Georgia and were served courteously at several lunch counters throughout the state, they met with violent resistance elsewhere in the region, especially in Alabama. In the aftermath of Montgomery's violence, media attention increased, forcing the Kennedy administration to take a definitive position in defense of civil rights. The administration announced on May 29, 1961, that it had instructed the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to ban segregation in all facilities under its jurisdiction. After months of delay, the ICC officially ruled segregation in interstate travel illegal on November 1, 1961. The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata. New Georgia Encyclopedia (Project) Georgia Humanities Council University of Georgia. 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