The Importance Of The Freedom Rides

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During the Civil Rights Movement era; there were many prominent figures and parties that challenged the nation to change society's views on racism. No other group challenged the accepted standards as much as the Freedom Riders. The Freedom Riders' impact on political and social views influenced a drastic shift in the behaviors and thought of the Southern states.
Many aspects of the Freedom Rides were influenced by the Journey of Reconciliation. The Journey of Reconciliation was comprised of a wide array of Caucasian and African American men of all occupations, including musicians, lawyers, clergy men and various other influential positions. The Journey of Reconciliation's main purpose was to bring attention to the racial discrimination in the South despite the rulings from the Supreme Court in Irene Morgan v. Commonwealth. Irene Morgan v. Commonwealth occurred when Irene Morgan refused to sit in the back of an interstate bus. The Supreme Court's ruling stated that the segregation laws in Virginia were unconstitutional. However even if with the Supreme court rulings, African Americans were still finding themselves discriminated against in the Southern States. One example would be when the Riders suffered several arrests and experienced bigotry from a southern Judge Henry Whitfield. "It's about time you Jews from New York learned that you can't come down here bringing your n*****s with you to upset the customs of the South. Just to teach you a lesson, I have your black boys thirty days, and I gave you ninety."
The NAACP tried to offer a limited amount of legal help for those arrested. These events contributed to the ruling of the US Supreme Court in 1953 in Brown v. Board of Education and it eventually inspired the Freedom R...

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...he laws of segregation. The effects the Freedom Rides had on society was monumental in bringing African Americans and Caucasians closer together and strengthening their cause to end segregation. The Riders pioneered engaging in direct action for civil rights, inspiring groups of volunteers to risk their lives for a greater cause and establishing credibility across America. The volunteers were assaulted and arrested but they still rode on to their final destination. The Freedom Riders got the entire nation as well as nations around the world watching the events and reacting against the unwarranted acts of violence against the Riders. The Freedom Rides garnered so much attention that even the US president was forced to get involved at a federal level. This event made the American People to start thinking differently towards African Americans and segregation laws.

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