Immediate Release
Contact: Dorothy Walker, Site Director, The Freedom Rides Museum
dorothy.walker@ahc.alabama.gov, 334-230-2676
April 19, 2022
Newly
Discovered Rare Photo of First Freedom Ride to be Unveiled April 23, 2022
(Montgomery,
AL) - A photo of participants on the first “Freedom Ride” has been discovered
in a university archive. Freedom Riders were black and white activists who
challenged segregation on southern buses in 1947.
The
image is one of two known to exist of the Journey of Reconciliation (JOR). 2022
marks the 75th anniversary of this two-week journey from April 9-23
through the Upper South. The 1961 Freedom Rides were based on the JOR.
The
photo will be shown to the public in an online event on Saturday, April 23,
beginning at 3 p.m. central time, co-sponsored by the Freedom Rides Museum and
the Fellowship of Reconciliation, who originally co-sponsored the Journey of
Reconciliation along with the Congress of Racial Equality.
Timed to
mark the anniversary of the trip’s final portion to the hour, the online event
will also include presentations about the ride, including an excerpt from the
public television documentary “You Don’t Have to Ride Jim Crow!”
Panelists
include:
- Ethan Vesely-Flad, Acting Co-Director
of the Fellowship of Reconciliation
- Robin Washington, Producer of
“You Don’t Have to Ride Jim Crow!”
- Dorothy Walker, Site Director of The
Freedom Rides Museum, Montgomery, Alabama
- Walter Naegle, partner of the
late Bayard Rustin, the ride’s co-leader and later the organizer of the 1963
March on Washington.
“At the
Freedom Rides Museum, we are always seeking the stories that have yet to be
told.” Walker stated, “This recently discovered photograph will expand our
understanding about this significant part of American history that, like the
1961 Freedom Rides, is relevant to our ability to travel freely throughout the
country today. We are pleased to be a
part of unveiling this photo during the 75th anniversary of the Journey of
Reconciliation.”
The JOR
riders endured a violent attack and 23 arrests on the trip. They were initially
promised legal representation by the NAACP but later three riders, including
Rustin, would serve 22 days on a North Carolina chain gang.
Downloadable
copies of the newly discovered photo and the previously known image will be
available during the online event. To participate, click the link at https://bit.ly/1947freedomride.
About The Freedom Rides Museum
Working with concerned citizens, The
Alabama Historical Commission saved the Greyhound Bus Station from demolition
in the mid-1990s. The Museum is located at 210 S. Court Street, at the
intersection of S. Court St. and Adams Avenue in downtown Montgomery. An
award-winning exhibit on the building's exterior traces the Freedom Riders'
history. It uses words and images of the Freedom Riders, those who supported
them, and those who opposed them. Interior exhibits highlight additional
information on the Freedom Riders and the way in which buildings were designed
for racial segregation. Today, the Alabama Historical Commission operates this
significant site.
About the Alabama Historical Commission
Located in historic downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry
Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation
agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature
in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s
historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of
endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned historic sites as public
attractions; and statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities
with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and
properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission
fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov
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