On May 20, 1961, an angry mob arrived at Montgomery’s Greyhound bus station, attacking 20 college students. The peaceful protest they were participating in, called the Freedom Rides, was conceived a decade and a half earlier. In 1947, the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) launched the Freedom Rides to challenge segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals. Interracial groups traveled through the South via bus — sitting on the bus and eating at the terminals together — and Alabama was hardly the first time they were met with resistance.
Learning Experiences
While the attack at the Montgomery bus station was not the first or last time, the building now stands as a reminder to visitors of a time in history when peaceful protest of injustice was met with violence — but ultimately prevailed. The Freedom Riders Museum, housed in the former Montgomery Greyhound bus station, has been restored to its 1960s glory. The exhibits highlight the importance of the events it commemorates, featuring the Freedom Riders and telling stories of the Civil Rights Movement.
Grade Level Education
K-12 school groups can take advantage of specialized tours year-round. Immersed in history, right where it happened, students can wind through the exhibits as they learn about Civil Rights history. Tours last about an hour, with guided navigation on how best to move through the space and self-guided exploration of all the museum has to offer. Educated staff members give students informative talks and are available to answer questions about the events and exhibits.
Exhibits guide visitors through the Freedom Riders’ journey from start to finish, with a special focus on events that occurred in Montgomery. Students explore the rich history of the Civil Rights Movement and how Freedom Rides fit into it. The museum weaves visitors through an in-depth look at history that isn’t taught in school.
Educational Resources
Online oral histories give educators a tool to support classroom learning before and after a museum trip. Students can hear from actual Freedom Riders, a Civil Rights Organizer, and a witness to the Montgomery attack as they share their experience participating in the protests. Matthew Walker Jr. speaks on his experience with Martin Luther King Jr. and the very real threat to Freedom Riders’ lives as they protested. Nathaniel “Nat” Clayton recalls the Montgomery bus station attack as a witness and how it shaped his life. These personal stories from participants and witnesses help students connect to history in more meaningful ways.
At this historic Civil Rights Movement landmark, students confront the injustices of history and the importance of learning how the past shapes the future. Important historical accounts told by participants and witnesses, along with walls filled with Civil Rights history, set the stage for a one-of-a-kind history field trip experience.
