Freedom Riders National Monument

On May 4, 1961, an interracial group of 13 civil rights activists boarded a Greyhound bus in Washington, DC, bound for Jackson, MS. They were testing a Supreme Court decision that banned segregation of interstate transportation facilities. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed the bus outside of Anniston, Alabama.

Images of peaceful travelers being beaten and a firebombed bus burning shocked the American public and the world. The violence inspired more than 400 new Freedom Riders to join their cause, riding and integrating buses across the South. The federal government soon decreed that all bus carriers and terminals serving interstate travel had to be integrated.
In 2017, the federal government established Freedom Riders National Monument in Anniston. The monument is a testament to the bravery of the group of civil rights activists who risked their lives to desegregate interstate travel in the US.

Trust for Public Land (TPL) and the National Park Service (NPS) have partnered to create an immersive experience for visitors to the historic Anniston Bus Station, adjacent Mural Building, and alley where the bus was first attacked. TPL and NPS are collaborating with community members and an exhibit design consultant team to transform the restored buildings and alley into spaces for learning and contemplation.

By thoughtfully preserving and activating these spaces that hold meaning, we elevate the stories of Black Americans to their rightful place.