The documentary Freedom Riders directed by Stanley Nelson details the 1961 journey of over 400 black and white Americans who rode interstate buses together in the segregated South to challenge racial segregation laws. Through interviews with riders and officials, as well as graphic footage of attacks, the film conveys the danger they faced and significance of their actions in pressuring the federal government to enforce desegregation of interstate travel. While successfully communicating the injustice of segregation, the documentary leaves some questions unexplored around perspectives on the freedom rides and the lack of support from authorities.

1. Multi Media Presentation for
Freedom Riders
By: Alex Sarr

2. Name: Freedom Riders
Director: Stanley Nelson
Length: 113 minutes
In 1961, more than 400 black and
White Americans challenged racial
segregation in the south by the
simple act of traveling together on buses.
The movie details the horrors of their travels and shows the
significance the eight month journey had on the United States.

3. Stanley Nelson effectively uses interviews with riders, journalists,
witnesses, and government officials as well as footage to
convey his central message.

4. These sources convey his central
message that racial segregation inracial segregation in
the south needed to changethe south needed to change and
that these 400 black and white
Americans were willing to dowilling to do
anythinganything to change segregation.

5. The graphic footage used in
“Freedom Riders” allowed the
audience to understand how
difficult traveling was for
these 400 Americans.
The movie shows clips of beatings,
burnings, and riots against the riders
that help the audience understand
the danger that these riders faced.

6. In addition, the interviews with riders, journalists, and government
officials allowed the audience to understand many different
perspectives of this event.
The riders offered an in depth
understanding of how they felt
about the rides, actions against
them, and the government’s
involvement.

7. Journalists give in-depth
analyses of the actions
committed against the riders.
This provided the audience with
multiple perspectives on the topic,
from the beatings by Bull Connor,
the lack of government support and
the burning of the buses.

8. The interviews of the government
officials allowed insight into the
government’s reactions and
handling of the rides.
The officials were able to explain their
actions and give the audience a deeper
understanding of the lack of
involvement by the government
into segments of the rides.

9. Through Stanley Nelson’s use of different sources he was able to
effectively induce the feeling of remorse for the freedom riders
and anger against the white supremacists who induced so much
pain on the them.
In addition, he was able to effectively communicate his central
message that segregation in the south needed to change.

10. While the film was very successful in
conveying its message, it left some
questions unanswered.
- Why did some blacks view the freedom rides as a
radical movement?
- What was the view of the freedom riders of the
authority figures in the White House?
- Why was Kennedy so opposed to the civil rights
topic?

11. Is truth dependent upon place, culture, and
time?
The south believed that blacks were an inferior race and should
not be allowed to
experience the same
rights as whites.
However, the north
believed that blacks
deserve some rights
that whites enjoyed.
This dichotomy
illustrates how
depending on the
culture you are brought up in and the place you live causes the
truth to change.

12. In an attempt to change segregation in the south,
these 400 Americans were willing to risk
everything. They put their own personal safety
on the line in order to fight for what they believed
was right. History has shown many case of acts
like this, but for every group that chooses to act ,
there are people who remained silent.

13. Which raises the question,
would you choose to stand up forwould you choose to stand up for
what is right or would you sit bywhat is right or would you sit by
and remain silent?and remain silent?