Is being confrontational always seen as potentially damaging to a cause? Are there ideas like that today?
Increased Public Awareness
Images and reports of the violence and brutality faced by the Freedom Riders brought the reality of segregation into the homes of people across the nation
What role did nonviolent activists hope the media would play in the freedom movement?
Nonviolent activists during the Freedom Rides hoped that the media would play a crucial role in exposing the injustices of segregation and amplifying their message of equality and justice.
Why do you think the Kennedy administration preferred to delay the Freedom Rides rather than offer direct support?
The Kennedy administration initially preferred to delay direct support for the Freedom Rides due to concerns about escalating violence and political fallout. They were wary of provoking a strong reaction from segregationist forces in the South
What do you think the Kennedys learned from their experience with the Freedom Rides?
The importance of federal intervention: The failure of state and local authorities to protect the Freedom Riders highlighted the need for federal intervention to uphold civil rights and ensure the safety of activists following the may 14th 1061 incident, providing protection with over 120 guardsmen and state troopers.
What do you think changed the leaders' minds?
following a violent incident in Anniston, Alabama. On May 14, 1961 where a mob attacked a Greyhound bus carrying Freedom Riders, setting it on fire and brutally assaulting the passengers as they attempted to flee. The Kennedy administration and state officials intervened to ensure the safety of the Freedom Riders.
What role did nonviolent activists hope the media would play in the freedom movement? part 2
hoped that media coverage would hold perpetrators and authorities accountable for their actions.
To what extent do you think they were successful in using the media spotlight during the Freedom Rides?
the media spotlight put pressure on government officials to intervene, , an arrangement was made between the federal government, represented by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and Mississippi Senator James O. Eastland of the mississippi plan. the federal government agreed to provide protection for the Freedom Riders as they traveled through Mississippi.
How did nonviolent protesters believe people would respond to images of the Freedom Rides?
to garner public sympathy and support, believing that images and stories of their nonviolent resistance would evoke moral outrage and prompt action. In the doc, The Freedom Rides symbolized peaceful resistance and challenged the myth of black powerlessness in the face of white supremacy.
