Freedom Riders

In May 1961, two groups of young people, comprising whites and African-Americans, left Washington on bus routes bound for the southern states of the USA. They called the members of this band of activists the Freedom Riders. Mostly consisting of American university students, they wanted to draw attention to legislation in some American states which supported segregation. For example, on public transport, "coloured" people could only sit in designated places at the back of vehicles, away from "whites". Upon arriving in states in the so-called "Deep South", which were traditional bastions for racist lawmakers, crowds set fire to the activists' buses and the students´ lives were threatened. This ensured disastrous publicity for the United States throughout the world. This impressive film by renowned director Stanley Nelson records the course of events in this dramatic chapter of American history. We follow with suspense as the Kennedy administration intervenes in the situation, and a symbolic act by students grows into a cause that has an impact on the whole of society. Exclusive testimony is provided by people who participated directly in the bus rides. These courageous activists risked their own lives for human rights and they asserted their faith in non-violent protest while standing up to the brutality of their opponents.