Evening star., 1961-06-14

night in Raleigh, N. c. The
group also left Washington
yesterday morning.
"As interstate passengers, we
have a Supreme Court verdict
saying this is our right" said
the Rev. Gordon D. Negen, 29-
year-old white minister from
New York who is participating
IN the ride.
Reason for Split
Ralph Diamond, So, a Negro
Iwho is leading the riders who
stopped IN Wilmington, said
I'VE just though it would be
wiser" to split into two groups
for the trip from Wilmington
to Charleston, through a por-
Ition Of South Carolina where
segregation feeling is high.
I'VE have several tests we want
to conduct" he continued.
The Freedom Riders passed
quietly through Virginia and
North Carolina yesterday, the
first day of their trip from
Washington.
Wilmington Police Chief j.
j. Padrick had a force of about
10 uniformed officers at the
bus terminal when the Freedom
Riders arrived in late after
noon. But the officers weren't
needed.
The Freedom Riders got off
the bus, entered the terminal
restaurant, bought refresh
mentS and then left by taxi /,
for a Negro hotel, where both
white and Negro riders spent
the night. Police patrolled the
area through the night.
Mr.. Negen, pastor of Man
haitian Christian ReformedI
Church, said the riders were
trained by CORE before under
taking the trip. "They empha-
sized how we should not act"
the white minister continued.
Not loud :, No violence
We will not fight back"
Risk Cited
They were asked how they
felt about the risk to which
they were exposing fellow
pasSengerS-not connected with
the Freedom Riders-on public
buses they take.
There clearly is risk to
other passengers" said James
EO'Connor, 31-year-old white
teacher at Barnard College in
New York. But you have to
take some risk. Because the
bus is a public conveyance,
other passengers will be in
volved."
Benny Winston, 42-year-old
Negro of New York, added, "If
there is no violence, no one
will get hurt"
The Rev. Robert j. Stone,
white minister and pastor of
Adams-Parkhurst Presbyterian
Church in New York. was
spokesman for the group that
stayed overnight in Raleigh.
He said his party encountered
no incidents yesterday. The
party stayed at Shaw Univers-
ity, Negro institution in
Raleigh.
The ministers plan to depart
today from Raleigh en- route to
Tallahassee, Fla, where they,
hope to arrive tomorrow.
Signed Law
Gov. FarriS Bryant of Florida
said through his office that he
believes Floridians will ignore
the 81 riders. However, before
he left Tallahassee on a busi-
ness trip he signed a law per-
mitt1ng authorities to disperse
persons assembled unlawfully.
A 22-year-old Mississippi Ne
gro, Leon Daniel Horne, said in
Jackson that I'D rather be in
Jail here than starve in Chi
cago." He caught a Freedom
Ride from Chicago to his home
State. Mr.. Horne said he used
$40 given him by CORE to get
from Chicago to Nasheville
Tenn, and another SIS to get
on to Jackson, Miss. He de-
clared, They (CORE) are
making fools of some Negroes"
Mr.. Horne is among 50 riders
in jail in Jackson, where l10
have been arrested since May
"a.
He said one of the white
women Freedom Riders told him
on the bus trip she had been
to Cuba and was associated
with the Communists"
Mr.. Horne said while he was
stranded in Chicago a Freedom
Rider official contacted him
about taking a bus ride to
Mississippi. When he arrived
here with four other riders
Saturday, police arrested him
and the others at a bus station
white lunch counter.
He said the Negro in the
South "is being used as a po-
litical football by the Commu-
nists..
Before independence, there
must be cooperation. 1 can't
force you to accept me as your
friend. Personally, 1 don't
blame the white man. We're
not yet ready for equality
All in all, we have long way
to go. 1ntegration must come
gradually"
/ Two Negro groups made sit
in demonstrations in downtown
Woolworth and Kress stores in
Pensacola, Fla. The lunch
counters were closed immedi-
ately, and there were no incl
dents.
ADVERTTSEMEN