Lesson 13.03: 1960's Activism

Following successful completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

Describe the sit-in experience as well as the success it had at achieving integration.
Discuss the goal of the Freedom Rides including their brutal encounters in Alabama.
Identify the groups involved and strategies of the following civil rights organizations: SNCC, CORE, SCLC, and NAACP.

The above objectives correspond with the following Alabama Course of Study Objectives: ACOS X .

Freedom Riders Near Burning Bus

Freedom Riders Near Burning Bus. Corbis. 2010.
Discovery Education. 20 March 2010.
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

Passengers of this smoking Greyhound bus, some of the members of the "Freedom Riders," a group sponsored by the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), sit on the ground after the bus was set afire 5/14, by a mob of Caucasians who followed the bus from the city. The mob met the bus at the terminal, stoned it & slashed the tires, then followed the bus from town. BPA2# 47.

Overview

The struggles and triumphs of the 1950’s segregation battles inspired a generation of young people to become politically and socially active in the 1960’s. Although not all white college students were sympathetic to the black struggle for equality, many were, and actively participated alongside black friends in their fight to end segregation. Some participated in “sit-ins” at lunch counters to desegregate restaurants that were only open to whites for service. Others joined “Freedom Rides” to test desegregation orders regarding interstate travel. Resistance to these non-violent activities was often strong and sometimes brutal. Protesters nonetheless endured the threats and violence in an attempt to ensure equal treatment for all.

Customers Waiting for Service at Counter

Customers Waiting for Service at Counter. Corbis. 2006.
Discovery Education. 20 March 2010.
<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

Sit-in in Little Rock, Arkansas. (1962)