Freedom riders book chicago public library bibliocommons. Author raymond arsenault explains the freedom rides. The landmark, definitive account of the freedom rides of spring and summer of 1961, a crucial development in the american civil rights movement. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Roger wilkins, washington post book world arsenaults record of. Freedom riders ebook by raymond arsenault rakuten kobo.
Pdf freedom on my mind pdf download read online free. Here is the definitive account of a dramatic and indeed pivotal moment in american history, a critical episode that transformed the civil rights movement in the early 1960s. Freedom riders is a classic american tale of courage, brutality, and the unquenchable desire for justice. Arthur ashe book by raymond arsenault official publisher. Owsley prize of the southern historical association, as the most. With characters and plot lines rivaling those of the most imaginative fiction, this is a tale of heroic sacrifice and unexpected triumph. He has taught at the university of south florida, st. One of the nations leading civil rights historians, he is the author of several acclaimed and prizewinning books, including freedom riders. After the siege, the freedom riders gathered at dr. In actuality, however, the freedom riders were much more diverse than most americans realized.
With this meticulous and moving book, raymond arsenault reminds us why. Watch freedom riders american experience official site pbs. Watch freedom riders american experience official site. Still uncomfortable with his refusal to join the ride, king. In alabama, police stood idly by as racist thugs battered them. Petersburg historian raymond arsenault, which was the basis for a pbs documentary that won three emmy awards, has now played a part in an opera. This book chronicles all this in vivid detail and includes many photographs of the events and of the riders themselves. Providing books and gifts for faith exploration and spiritual growth. Freedom riders raymond arsenault oxford university press. The freedom riders were a courageous, racially integrated group of volunteers who traveled together on buses from washington, d. Freedom riders 1961 and the struggle for racial justice raymond arsenault pivotal moments in american history. Plus, what he wants people to know about these american heroes. The saga of the freedom rides is an improbable, almost unbelievable story. Arsenault is one of the most gifted scholars of his generation.
Tells the story of the freedom riders, a diverse group of people, who in the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses through the american south to challenge segregation in interstate transport. In the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses through the american south to challenge segregation in interstate transport. Raymond arsenault offers a meticulously researched and grippingly written account of the freedom rides, one of the most compelling chapters in the history of civil rights. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault offers a significantly condensed and tautly written account. The book paints a harrowing account of the outpouring of hatred and violence that greeted the freedom riders in alabama and mississippi. Raymond arsenault has 29 books on goodreads with 5610 ratings. Freedom riders by raymond arsenault overdrive rakuten. They were jailed and beaten, their buses stoned and firebombed. This was one of the largest houses in the black community in montgomery, and its an amazing scene. Read freedom riders 1961 and the struggle for racial justice by raymond arsenault available from rakuten kobo. Freedom riders, published by oxford university press as part of the pivotal moments in american history series, was named a new york times editors choice, selected as one of the washington post bookworlds best books of the year, and awarded the 2007 frank l. Freedom riders by arsenault raymond free mobi epub ebooks download. Freedom riders by arsenault raymond free ebooks download. Jan 01, 2006 in what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders.
Raymond arsenaults most popular book is freedom riders. Books by raymond arsenault author of freedom riders. Jan 15, 2006 in these pages, acclaimed historian raymond arsenault provides a gripping account of six pivotal months that jolted the consciousness of america. Raymond arsenault is the john hope franklin professor of southern history and codirector of the florida studies program at the university of. He became so interested in the topic, he dedicated 10 years of his life to telling the stories of the ridersbrave men and women who fought for equality. Freedom riders 1961 and the struggle for racial justice. Raymond arsenault, the preeminent historian of the freedom riders movement and. The official tiein edition to the pbs american experience film, airing in may 2011. Freedom riders author raymond arsenault tells us about bold civil rights activists, determined to desegregate buses and bus facilities in americas south through nonviolent direct action. Mar 25, 2014 freedom riders by arsenault raymond author. Raymond arsenault offers a meticulously researched and grippingly written account of the freedom rides, one of the most compelling.
Freedom riders by raymond arsenault, 9780195327144, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The freedom riders were greeted with hostility, fear, and violence. Judging by the national press and contemporary public commentary, the archetypal freedom rider was an idealistic but naive white activist from the north, probably a college student but possibly an older religious or labor leader. Raymond arsenault was just 19 years old when he started researching the 1961 freedom rides. In these pages, acclaimed historian raymond arsenault provides a gripping account of six pivotal months that jolted the consciousness of america. One bus was disabled by ku klux klansmen, then firebombed. As the freedom riders filed out of their cars, the scene was tense but quiet until the crowd spotted king, who, along with abernathy, shuttlesworth, and walker, had agreed to accompany the riders to the terminal. The 1954 united states supreme court decision, brown v. Raymond arsenaults freedom riders is a major addition to the already vast literature on the american civil rights movement.
Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this haunting and inspiring story is that for so long, so little had been organized to tell it. Petersburg campus since 1980 and is the john hope franklin professor of southern history and co. Arsenaults revisionist styled history addresses the lack of historical focus on the freedom rides itself, which he claims has so far only been discussed by historians as a prelude to the climactic in what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders. Raymond arsenault is the john hope franklin professor of southern history at the university of south florida, st. Freedom riders is a 2010 american historical documentary film, produced by firelight media for pbs american experience. When martin luther king met the riders in montgomery, a raging mob besieged them in a church. Raymond arsenault traces freedom riders road in 1961, an integrated group of selfproclaimed freedom riders challenged segregation by riding together on. The journey of historian raymond arsenaults book freedom riders. Read an excerpt from raymond arsenaults book, freedom riders. The film is based in part on the book freedom riders. In the course of six months in 1961, 450 freedom riders expanded the realm of the possible in american politics, redefining the limits of dissent and setting the stage for the civil rights movement. In the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses.
Raymond arsenault, the preeminent historian of the freedom riders movement and author of freedom riders. In the course of six months in 1961, four hundred and fifty freedom riders expanded the realm of the possible in american politics, redefining the limits of dissent and setting the. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault offers a significantly. As the freedom riders filed out of their cars, the scene was. But this book is about a specific moment in timethe summer of. A saga of race, civil rights, and murder in the jazz age, winner of the 2004 national book award an exhaustively researched. Directed by stanley nelson, it marked the 50th anniversary of the first freedom ride in may 1961 and first aired on may 16, 2011.
In the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses through the american south. It was sunday night on the new frontier, and freedom was on the line in montgomery, alabama. Raymond arsenault, a professor of southern history at the university of south florida, saw the opportunity and felt the mandate to chronicle in scholarly and human detail the freedom rides of 1961 not a prelude to but an integral part of the civil. In what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders. They were black and white, young and old, men and women. Raymond arsenault s most popular book is freedom riders.
Freedom riders 1961 and the struggle for racial justice book. In these pages, acclaimed historian raymond arsenault provides a gripping account of six. Arsenault recreates these moments with heartstopping. Marian anderson, the lincoln memorial, and the concert that. In birmingham and montgomery, mobs of white supremacists swarmed the bus stations and battered the riders with fists and clubs while local police. The world premiere of the opera freedom ride takes place on saturday, february 8 in chicago and will run for three nights. More than simply a wellresearched study of the 1961 freedom rides, the book is an insightful, thorough, and engaging narrative of an entire era of direct action protests to end segregation in interstate transportation. May 04, 2007 raymond arsenault traces freedom riders road in 1961, an integrated group of selfproclaimed freedom riders challenged segregation by riding together on segregated buses through the deep south. In the course of six months in 1961, four hundred and fifty freedom riders expanded the realm of the possible in american politics, redefining the limits of dissent and setting the stage for the civil rights movement.