Riding the bus has not always been a right for all Americans. The courageousness of civil rights is known world wide, studied, and celebrated. Many individuals, groups, cities, states, and regions have their heroes who did their part to make living free possible for generations to come.
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If asked if I thought the current generation would do the same for those following them, I would say "no". I myself do not think I would have the skin or gall tough enough to sacrifice myself for others the way those of the civil rights movement. They were a true breed of extremely special individuals.
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Nashville, TN and more impressively students from Tennessee State University did their part to make it safe for me to ride the bus when and where I want today.
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In 1946 the U.S. Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional to segregate interstate transportation in the U.S. This means that everyone was free to ride the bus where they wanted when they wanted and sit where they wanted. In 1961 an interracial group called the Freedom Riders set out to test this new law. The white riders would sit in the back and the black riders would sit in the front. When they stopped at the restaurant, white riders would sit in the black section and use the black restroom and vice verse. Riders were of course met with hostility, rage, beat, killed, and buses burned.
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14 Champions from Tennessee State University sacrificed their education, careers, experience jail time, took beatings, and harsh scrutiny all so that I could ride the bus.
While they were giving of themselves to change history, my beloved Tennessee State University, Known as Tennessee A & I at the time expelled the students for "misconduct." It wasn't TSU's fault though. They had to take orders from 'the man.' :-
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Well, I'm not going to elaborate too much on that because all though I despise my school at times, I also love my school because well.....it is my alma mater and I did get an education. TSU has finally decided to right that wrong after only 47 years. On Thursday September 18, 2008, the Freedom Riders will be awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters for their blood, sweat, and tears. They will celebrated and commemorated the entire weekend from Sep 18 -21, 2008
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The following is a list of sites that provide greater in depth information regarding this movement in civil rights history. The 1st link is the schedule for the TSU Freedom Riders convocation and award of much deserved doctoral degrees.
Tennessee State FREEDOM RIDERS
Issues in Higher Education
News Coverage
AfricanAmericans.com
USA Today
Black College Wire
Black College Wire follow-up
Commercial Appeal
TPM Cafe
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