Listen&Learn: The Freedom Riders

Learn about the activists who protested racial segregation on public transit.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• activist: someone who brings attention to an issue and fights for change
• protest: to publicly express disapproval of a law, policy, or action
• segregation: a policy of keeping different groups of people separate from each other
• integrate: to bring people of different races together
• supremacist: someone who believes a particular group of people is superior to other groups
• widespread: in many different areas

Listening activity

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:10 — 1.1MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS | More

Gapfill exercise

The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who took bus trips through the American South to protest racial segregation. The rides began on May 4th, 1961. There were thirteen original Freedom Riders, and most of them were . They protested by sitting in integrated groups and entering segregated in transit stations. On May 14th, when the Freedom Riders reached Alabama, a group of white supremacists set one of the buses on . The activists were often beaten, and some were arrested by local . This led to widespread media attention. Hundreds of people began to join the Freedom Riders’ cause. The protest was eventually effective. In November 1961, racial segregation became on interstate buses.

Comprehension questions

See answers below

1. The goal of the Freedom Riders was to protest
   a. American war efforts
   b. racial segregation
   c. gender discrimination
   
2. One way they protested was by
   a. giving speeches
   b. crowding government buildings
   c. entering segregated bathrooms
   
3. In November 1961,
   a. the original Freedom Riders were arrested for the first time
   b. racial segregation became illegal on interstate buses
   c. white supremacists in Alabama set one of the buses on fire

Discussion/essay questions

1. Have you ever protested something that you thought was wrong? What are some changes you’d like to see in the world today?

Transcript

The Freedom Riders were a group of civil rights activists who took bus trips through the American South to protest racial segregation. The rides began on May 4th, 1961. There were 13 original Freedom Riders, and most of them were students. They protested by sitting in integrated groups and entering segregated bathrooms in transit stations. On May 14th, when the Freedom Riders reached Alabama, a group of white supremacists set one of the buses on fire. The activists were often beaten, and some were arrested by local police. This led to widespread media attention. Hundreds of people began to join the Freedom Riders’ cause. The protest was eventually effective. In November 1961, racial segregation became illegal on interstate buses.

Answers to comprehension questions

1b 2c 3b