Freedom Rides Museum

Freedom Rides Museum In 1961 groups of volunteers made history by challenging the practice of segregated travel

in 1957, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law. This was the first civil rights law passed since Recon...
08/29/2026

in 1957, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law. This was the first civil rights law passed since Reconstruction. It established a new section of the Justice Department that would address cases of voter discrimination against African Americans. While this act was far from all-encompassing, it was an important step towards the protection of civil rights at the federal level.

The image shown here depicts President Eisenhower signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957 into law in his office in New Port, Rhode Island on September 9, 1957.

Happy Birthday to William Leons who was 25 years old when he traveled by train from New Orleans, LA to Jackson, MS on ...
08/29/2026

Happy Birthday to William Leons who was 25 years old when he traveled by train from New Orleans, LA to Jackson, MS on July 30, 1961.

Happy Birthday to Henry "Hank" Thomas who was 19 years old when he traveled as one of the original 13 CORE Riders from...
08/29/2026

Happy Birthday to Henry "Hank" Thomas who was 19 years old when he traveled as one of the original 13 CORE Riders from Washington, D.C. to Anniston, AL, where the bus was bombed and burned. He later traveled on a Trailways bus from Montgomery, AL to Jackson, MS on May 24, 1961 and was one of the first to be arrested upon arrival.

It’s ! This week we are spotlighting Dion Diamond! Diamond was born July 2, 1941 in Petersburg, VA. At the time of th...
08/28/2026

It’s ! This week we are spotlighting Dion Diamond! Diamond was born July 2, 1941 in Petersburg, VA. At the time of the Freedom Rides, Diamond was only 19 yrs old and a Sophomore at Howard University. He was one of the founders of the Nonviolent Action Group, a student-led group that organized sit-ins and protests to fight segregation in the D.C. metro area. Diamond was one of 15 who traveled by Trailways bus from Montgomery, AL to Jackson, MS on May 24, 1961 and was among the first to be arrested upon arrival in Jackson for participation in the Freedom Rides.

In an interview with Eric Etheridge for his book “Breach of Peace”, Diamond says that he thought he was going to Mississippi for a short weekend. He believed he would fly down, ride the bus, get arrested, spend the weekend in jail, and be back at Howard for classes the next week. That long weekend turned into nearly 60 days in jail. He never finished his degree at Howard, choosing instead to continue his Civil Rights work with SNCC as a field secretary in Mississippi for the next two years. In 1962, he was arrested in Baton Rouge, LA while helping to organize a student strike at Southern University.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin before continuing his education and earning a master’s in education with a focus on urban studies from Harvard University in 1970. He worked for both the federal and local government in the Washington, D.C. area specializing in social issues in housing and employment until he retired in 1995. Today, he continues his Civil Rights work by sharing his story with others.

We have some unfortunate news to share. After posting about Peter Ackerberg last week, his daughter reached out to let u...
08/28/2026

We have some unfortunate news to share. After posting about Peter Ackerberg last week, his daughter reached out to let us now he passed away on July 25th at the age of 87. Rest in peace Mr. Ackerberg.

in 1963, 250,000 people came to Washington, D.C. in a march for jobs and freedom. The March on Washington was to prote...
08/28/2026

in 1963, 250,000 people came to Washington, D.C. in a march for jobs and freedom. The March on Washington was to protest unfair hiring practices and as a show of support for the Civil Rights Act that was in discussion in Congress. The 1963 March took its route from plans originally created by A. Philip Randolph back in the 1940s.

The city of Washington D.C. provided nearly 6,000 officers and the Kennedy Administration provided an additional 6,000 troops to act as security on the National Mall. The security proved unnecessary as the protest remained entirely peaceful. The events of the day featured Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, as well as musical performances and political calls to action, including a speech from SNCC Chairman, , and future Congressman John Lewis.

The March on Washington, along with countless other protests and marches across the country, provided the catalyst for change and led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This act would prohibit discrimination nationwide on the basis of race, color, religion, s*x, or national origin.

The image here shows the crowd gathered on the National Mall during the March on Washington.

We at the Freedom Rides Museum were saddened to learn of the passing of Freedom Rider and Civil Rights leader Jerome Smi...
08/27/2026

We at the Freedom Rides Museum were saddened to learn of the passing of Freedom Rider and Civil Rights leader Jerome Smith on August 21st at the age of 87.

Smith was born in New Orleans, LA on May 21, 1939. He grew up there and had been a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge but was forced to withdraw after the administration threatened to expel him for his involvement in local sit-ins in 1960. Smith returned to New Orleans and helped to found the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) chapter there. It was through CORE that Smith met the original Freedom Riders when they flew into New Orleans after the mob attack in Birmingham and the bus burning in Anniston. At age 22, Jerome Smith volunteered to travel to Montgomery and meet up with the Nashville Student Movement Riders as they continued on to Mississippi. He was among the first to be arrested in Jackson, MS and charged with “Breach of Peace”. Unlike most of the other Freedom Riders, he bailed out of jail after just 3 days to return to New Orleans and help to organize and train future Freedom Riders.

In an interview with Eric Etheridge for his book “Breach of Peace”, Smith speaks about riding the bus one day with his father. He said that there were no more seats in the back so his father moved the “whites only” sign up and they sat down with no issues. He then tried it himself when he was 11. He was reprimanded and was even pulled off the bus by an older Black woman. To his surprise the woman hugged him and cried saying “Don’t you ever stop. God wants you to do this.”

He participated in another Ride on November 29, 1961 where he and four other Riders were attacked and beaten in McComb, MS leaving him with several head injuries.

After the Rides, Smith continued his activism through local channels in New Orleans. He founded Tambourine and Fan Social Aid and Pleasure Club in 1968 which aims to teach children about civil rights history and local culture.

You can read more about his life here: https://www.wwltv.com/article/obits/new-orleans-civil-rights-icon-jerome-big-duck-smith-dies-at-87/289-5ab8254e-6a59-4d9a-b9e3-f08f2aa42bfa

Happy Birthday to Marv Davidov who was 29 years old when he traveled on a Greyhound bus from Nashville, TN to Jackson,...
08/26/2026

Happy Birthday to Marv Davidov who was 29 years old when he traveled on a Greyhound bus from Nashville, TN to Jackson, MS on June 11, 1961.

Happy Birthday to Max Pavesic who was 21 years old when he traveled by train from New Orleans, LA to Jackson, MS on Ju...
08/25/2026

Happy Birthday to Max Pavesic who was 21 years old when he traveled by train from New Orleans, LA to Jackson, MS on July 30, 1961.

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210 South Court Street
Montgomery, AL
36104

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 4pm
Wednesday 11am - 4pm
Thursday 11am - 4pm
Friday 11am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

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