Freedom Rider; A Life Lesson
The below post from CNN.com is a powerful read in many different ways. It is a study in commitment, community and self-discovery. The post is an excerpt of John Blake’s 2004 book “Children of the Movement’. It contains the story of James Zwerg, now 71, a white Freedom Rider.
In 1961, the Freedom Riders – a group of black and white college students – set out for the Deep South to call for change. They were met by hatred and violence — and local police often refused to intervene. But the Riders’ efforts transformed the civil rights movement. Through it all they maintained their focus on their non-violent mission of riding together.
James Zwerg was drawn to the Freedom Rides after having a black roommate while attending Beloit College in Wisconsin. He grew to admire his roommate and was shocked to see how his black friend was treated by whites when they went out in public together.