Freedom Rides (1961)

The Freedom Rides of 1961 were a series of bus trips organized by civil rights activists to challenge segregation in interstate bus terminals across the Southern United States, beginning in Washington, D.C., and culminating in their arrival in Alabama, particularly noted for the violent confrontation in Anniston. These rides served as a pivotal tactic in the Civil Rights Movement, demonstrating the power of nonviolent resistance against systemic racism, and led to the eventual enforcement of new federal policies prohibiting segregation in public transport.