History Of The Freedom Rides

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The Freedom Rides was a series of bus rides to the Deep South to protest against segregation laws. They believed that they should test the Supreme Court ruling of Boynton v. Virginia and Irene Morgan v. Commonwealth of Virginia. These declared segregation in interstate bus and rail stations unconstitutional. The South ignored these laws, and the federal government did nothing to stop them. The first ride took place on May 4, 1961. Thirteen activists, both black and white, took public buses to the South from Washington D.C. The first few days were the safest. After the second week, the activists were severely beaten. One time in Alabama, white people attacked the riders right next to a sheriff's office. And another time in Alabama, they burned