THIS DV/AMERICAN LIFE

PROJECT
BY: LIFAITE GERMEILLE PER.3 U.S.
HISTORY

Historical Pivotal Event

Freedom Riders(May 4,1961)
The freedom riders were a group of 13 African-American and white civil rights activists who launched the
Freedom Rides, a series of bus trips through the American South to protest segregation in interstate bus terminals.
This event was pivotal because black and white citizens who were racially criticized and took a stand against those
who seek low on them. These heroic people were trying to send a message to all those who have been criticized by
whites and want to make a change in the country for everybody to be treated equally.

1st Main Cause Event

Montgomery Bus Boycott (December 20,1956)
A political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public
transit system of Montgomery, Alabama.
How was this Pivotal?
This event was pivotal because it finally gave the NAACP, a case in which they could challenge
the segregation of the black community in Alabama. Also that The victory of the NAACP in
this case, gave the Civil Rights Movement the boost it needed and inspired other African
Americans to challenge white societys dominance.

2nd Main Cause Event

Little Rock Nine (1957)
A group of nine African American students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School in 1957.
How was this Pivotal?
This event was pivotal because Little Rock Nine were significant as symbols of the difference
between the changing federal laws concerning segregation in the 1950s and opposing public
sentiment about the laws in the deep South. For them this meant that they wanted to make a
change for the better not only for African American children but for all children as well.

3rd Main Cause Event

After Rosa Parks was arrested for not giving her bus seat to a white man, inspired citizens
wanted to carry on her mission to end segregation by becoming Freedom Riders. The laws to
end segregated transportation services were not being enforced and many blacks were met
with intimidation, acts of ridicule and harassment. They rode Trailways and Greyhound buses
on the highways from Washington, DC to an intended destination of New Orleans, LA. The
Freedom Riders sat in all sections of the bus. When the bus stopped at rest areas the whites
used the bathrooms designated for blacks and the blacks used the restrooms for whites. It was
another peaceful demonstration to draw attention to the need for equal rights for all human
beings.

HISTORICAL TIMELINE
1957 LITTLE ROCK NINE
A group of nine African
American students
enrolled in Little Rock
Central High School in
1957.

1956 Montgomery Bus

Boycott
A political and social
protest campaign against
the policy of racial
segregation on the public
transit system of
Montgomery, Alabama.

1961 Freedom Riders

A group of 13 AfricanAmerican and white civil
rights activists who launched
the Freedom Rides, a series of
bus trips through the
American South to protest
segregation in interstate bus
terminals.

Freedom Ride Timeline

5/4-Freedom Rides begin.
5/9-Violence begins at Rock Hill, South Carolina
5/13-Riders arrive at Atlanta, Georgia
5/14-Leave Atlanta; Greyhound has been firebombed
5/14-Freedom Riders beaten; New members join
5/20-Riders leave from Birmingham, Alabama; Arrive at Montgomery
5/24-Leave Montgomery
5/25-Arrive at Jackson, Mississippi; Many riders were arrested

1st Main Effect Event

Birmingham Campaign (April 3, 1963)
The Birmingham campaign was supposed to be a campaign that would end segregation between
people by the SCLC, and after protests and police brutality the SCLC and Martin Luther King Jr.
and were able to give African Americans more rights in more public places, they were able to end
Jim Crows Law.
How was this pivotal?
This event was pivotal because it was in this Alabama city that a very crucial civil rights
campaign was born and met with some success.The purpose of the campaign was to end the
segregation that existed in the city.

2nd Main Effect Event

Civil Rights Movement in Other Countries: The Freedom Riders have inspired some other
countries people. Such as in Egypt, where their is a civil rights movement occurring. Some
people from Egypt have taken inspiration from the Freedom Riders and decided they would
deal with their problems peacefully. There has been video recordings of some of the people of
Egypt standing in front of tanks, and putting flowers on soldiers bayonets. The leaders from
Egypt's have taken what the Freedom Riders from 1960s' did and are taking some of their
ideas into their own hands, they also believe they will get what they want eventually and is
more effective peacefully.

3rd Main Effect Event

No more segregation: If it were not for the Freedom Riders, who knows how long it would
have taken to have segregation end, or if it would have even ended without them. Thanks to
the Freedom Riders a lot of kids in the United States would not be able to go to the same
school with another person from a different ethnicity. A lot of public places would not be free
to the public, and society would be totally different. If it was not for the Freedom Riders guts
and confidence, no one would probably have stood up to what they believed was wrong for a
long time. Everyone in the United States now has the same educational or financial
opportunities because of the inspiration the Freedom Riders gave to people.