What was the purpose and accomplishment of the Freedom Riders?

Answer 1

"Civil Rights activists called Freedom Riders, rode in interstate buses into the segregated southern United States to test the United States Supreme Court decision Boynton v. Virginia, (1960) 364 U.S. [overturned a judgment convicting an African American law student for trespassing by being in a restaurant in a bus terminal which was "whites only."] ... All but a very small number were sponsored by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) while the others belonged to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). They followed on the heels of dramatic "sit-ins" against segregated lunch counters conducted by students and youth throughout the South, and boycotts beginning in 1960. The names of that summer's Riders included James L. Farmer, William Mahoney, John Lewis, Jim Zwerg, James Peck, George Bundy Smith, Frederick Leonard, and William Sloane Coffin, among others totaling 436. Three-fourths of the Riders were under 30. They were mostly male and evenly divided between black and white."

"Thus the Freedom Rides established great credibility with progressive blacks and whites throughout the United States who became motivated to engage in direct action for civil rights. Perhaps most significantly, Freedom Riders impressed blacks living in rural areas throughout the South who later formed the backbone of the civil rights movement. This credibility inspired many subsequent civil rights campaigns, including voter registration, freedom schools, and the black power movement."

"During their journey, the original group of 13 grew to almost 450, but the ride ended when Robert Kennedy finally issued an injunction forcing segregationist states to enforce the federal law."

"During the summer of 1961, Freedom Riders also campaigned against other forms of racial discrimination. They sat together in segregated restaurants, lunch counters and hotels. This was especially effective when it concerned large companies who, fearing boycotts in the North, began to desegregate their businesses."

"Attorney General Robert Kennedy petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to draft regulations to end racial segregation in bus terminals. The ICC was reluctant, but in September of 1961 it issued the necessary orders, and the new policies went into effect on November 3, 1961."

"Freedom ride" : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_Riders

Answer 2

The Freedom Riders was the people from around the Nation who was going by bus to the south to help with civil right movement.