What was the plan the government devised for the Freedom Riders?


What are some of the cities the bus passengers would be visiting?  


How long would the trip be?  What did they hope to gain?


What were some of the features of the “Southern Way of Life”?


Give some of the reasons that the Southerners were not open to civil rights reforms:
 
 
 

IN YOUR OPINION: Do you think people can be successfully re-educated in their beliefs about racism?  Or is it impossible to change how people think about others?  Share your thoughts with a partner.


Why was President Kennedy not interested in pressing the human rights issue initially?


Prior to taking a bus ride, how did the Freedom Riders “train” for their experience?


Describe the ride:  How do things change as the trip progresses?


Why was Virginia Morgan’s court case (Morgan vs Virginia) important for civil rights?
 
 How did the Southern states get around enforcing their ruling?
 

Who did the riders meet in Atlanta?  What did he tell the riders to expect? Did he support them? 


Who was Bull Connor?  What were his views on segregation?


What happened when the Greyhound bus arrived in Addison?  


How did this change the experience for the Freedom Riders? 


What stopped the riot from becoming deadly? 


Why do you think they didn’t arrive sooner?


When the Trailways bus arrived in Birmingham, what ugly surprise was waiting for them?


Why did the police not intervene? 


 What was the only thing that kept people from being killed?


What was the result of the bus incidents for the Kennedy brothers? Why did they have no choice but to start getting involved?


 After leaving the hospital, what did the Freedom Riders decide to do?  Why do you think they made this decision?


 Why were they forced to abandon their efforts?


 How did they finally manage to return from Alabama?


Why did Diane Nash pick up the Freedom Rider effort from Tennessee? 


What previous desegregation experience did she have?


What sacrifice was required of the participants in order to take another Freedom Ride?


What did they risk by participating?


Who do you think was at greater risk, black riders or white riders? Support your opinion with details. 


Why did Diane Nash refuse to call off the next Freedom Ride?  Do you think the riders were aware of the risks that they faced? 


Why were the passengers of the bus taken to jail?


What happened when President Kennedy called the Governor of Alabama?


IN YOUR OPINION: At what point would you call it quits on your effort of you were a Freedom rider?  Discuss your thoughts with a partner.  


Where did the Birmingham police take the Freedom Riders?


When the riders returned to the Birmingham bus station, what obstacles did they face?


Who ultimately steps up to protect the Freedom Riders?  How did this create a conflict for the Governor of Alabama?


Describe step by step what happened as the bus arrived at the Montgomery bus station:
 
 
 
 

How did the Montgomery riots change the course of action for President and Senator Kennedy? (What realizations did they make after things fell apart?)


How did the Freedom Riders respond to the Montgomery riots? Who decided to get involved?


What happened outside the church while the Freedom Riders' supporters were meeting?


Why couldn’t they leave? Who called Washington to negotiate and what did they discuss?


What kind of protection did the federal government send? 


Why was this an important turning point for the Freedom Rider’s cause?


IN YOUR OPINION: Could this situation have turned out differently? What could have made it better?  Or worse?  Discuss these scenarios with a partner.


Why did Dr. King refuse to ride the bus with the Freedom Riders? How did his refusal change his relationship with the student activists?
 
Ultimately when the Freedom Riders finally leave Alabama under protection what messages do they receive from people they saw along the way?


What did the Governor of Mississippi tell the white people to do?  When the riders arrived what happened to them and why? Where do they end up? 
 
 
  
What deal was worked out between the Governor of Mississippi and Senator Bobby Kennedy?  
IN YOUR OPINION: Do you agree with this plan as a way to keep the riders safe? Discuss it with a partner. 
 
Why did the government of Mississippi send the Freedom Riders to Parchman Farm Prison in Jackson?  How did his plan backfire?
 
How did the Freedom Riders respond to Senator Kennedy’s request to cool the freedom ride efforts?  Why?
 
What did the ICC finally decide to do? 
 
 

Short Answer Questions: Answers these questions truthfully and as completely as possible. Write at least 4 sentences to answer each question. 
What are the biggest issues in our society today where people are still not equal?


Would you be willing to risk your life to take a stand on an issue you felt strongly about?


Do you think the President of our country has a responsibility to intervene in issues of inequity, or should it be left up to the states individually to make their own decisions?


How does your generation view people from different races?  Do you have friends from other ethnic groups?  Do you date people outside of your own race?
 
Do you think we have made good progress on the issue of race, or do we still have work to be done? 


Do you think we will ever achieve true equity in the United States?