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The first ride was held on May 4, 1961. The protesters consisted of 7 blacks and 6 whites. They started in Washington D.C and from there would travel through various states. -
On May 14, 1961, the freedom riders were attacked by angry white people. They attacked the bus by throwing bricks and rocks, smashing windows, slashing tires, setting fire on the bus, and attacking the black and white passengers. -
On May 24, 1961, when the Freedom Riders were in Jackson, Florida they were arrested for challenging segregation on public busses. Right as they got off the bus they were arrested. -
The same day the riders were arrested in Jackson, president Kennedy urged the rides to come to a "cooling period" due to the growing violence against the riders. -
The Freedom Rides continued for several months. More than 60 freedom rides have happened. Around 450 people participated in the freedom rides who also participated more than once.
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In the mid of June, a group of freedom riders was going to head back home at the end of their ride. They were in the Tallahassee Municipal Airport and decided to eat there. The restaurant was marked as "whites only" and they would rather close than serve them. They decided to wait until it opened so they could be served. When they did they were arrested for unlawful assembly. This caused a trial known as Dresner v. City of Tallahassee.
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In the early days of August James Forman and Ella Baker of the SNCC were planning a freedom ride with Robert F. Williams. Williams was a chapter president of the NAACP who was controversial and militant. He publicly announced he was going to meet with violence. That got him suspended from the NACCP.
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On August 27, 1961, a freedom ride was held in Monroe, North Carolina. The freedom riders were brutally attacked by white supremacists. The local police approved of these attacks. The local police took protesters to jail along with James Forman the SNCC's Executive Secretary. The white supremacist and police were in town shooting black citizens who also returned fire. -
On September 13, 1961, 15 people entered a bus terminal for coffee. When they entered they were stopped by two policemen and were asked to leave. When they refused they were arrested for breach of peace. The group had 3 black priests and when the case with them was dismissed they tried to seek damages against the police. Their claims were rejected by the Supreme Court case of Pierson v. Ray.
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On November 1st, 1961 the ICC orders came into place after pressure from protesters on the ICC and the Kennedy administration. When it came into effect it allowed anyone to sit where ever they wanted on busses and trains. Segregated signs were removed from terminals, segregated fountains, restrooms, waiting rooms, etc were not allowed to be segregated.
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On December 10th, 1961 the freedom rides came to an end. After months of protesting segregation on public transportation, the freedom rides came to a stop when the Kennedy Administration passed a regulation that prohibited segregation in interstate transit terminals.