HIST 351 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Bull Connor, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, Freedom Riders
Document Summary
Once the riders get to alabama, they run into forces coming from all kinds of directions (local people who want to stop freedoms rides) Kennedy administration steps in and is guaranteed by governor of alabama that freedom riders will be protected on their ride from birmingham to montgomery, but when they get to montgomery, they get beat up even worse. Freedom rides bring federal government together, bring grassroots forces of white power infuriated and angry. Bring in different components of civil rights movement. By the time they get into alabama, they"re all afraid for their lives. King arrives to try and help freedom riders. 1962: massive resistance continues, george wallace is supporter of segregation, segregation now, tomorrow, forever, national symbol of opposition to civil rights movement. Sncc leaders, core, naacp: he has embraced direct action; he has put himself on the same side as these organizations, these people he was worried about in 1961.