Freedom Riders National Historic Site

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 Boynton v. Virginia, a recent Supreme Court decision that banned segregation of interstate transportation facilities. They were attacked by white segregationists, who firebombed the bus.

The nation and the world witnessed the violence. Images of peaceful travelers being beaten unconscious and a firebombed bus burning outside Anniston shocked the American public. 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, AL. The Monument is a testament to the bravery of the group of interracial civil rights activists who risked their lives to desegregate interstate travel in the United States.

Today, the Monument consists of little more than historical markers and closed buildings. That’s why Trust for Public Land and the National Park Service (NPS) have partnered to restore Freedom Riders National Monument. Our shared goal is to create visitor services at the site by developing exhibits, historic furnishings and other visitor amenities within the Bus Station and Mural Building in order to transform the restored buildings into high-quality spaces for learning and contemplation.  Ultimately, visitors can expect an immersive experience that conveys the significance of this moment in history.

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