Mississippi Freedom Riders
Date, Location
- Tuesday, February 24, 2009
- 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
-
Central
Breach of Peace
Late in 1960, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling outlawed segregation in interstate bus terminals. On May 4, 1961, thirteen people made the first Freedom Ride to test the compliance of bus stations with the ruling. This, and subsequent rides, encountered increasingly violent resistance. Though there were Freedom Rides across the South, Jackson, Mississippi, became the campaignís primary focus. More than 300 Riders were arrested there and convicted of breach of peace.
Author and photographer Eric Etheridge
Author and photographer Eric Etheridge came across the mug shots of all 328 Riders in 2004. He was "immediately captivated by [their] faces... The police camera had caught something special... The resulting portraits were compelling and intense." He decided to publish the mug shots and, where possible, include new photos and stories of the Riders.
Meet Etheridge and one of the 1961 Freedom Riders who inspired his recently published book,
Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Mississippi Freedom Riders
.