Archive for May 2008

Calvin Trillin: Riding the First Bus into Jackson

In Oral History on 24 May 2008 with 3 comments

The first Freedom Riders arrived in Jackson, MS, forty-seven years ago today. Twelve Riders came on the first bus to the Trailways station. A second bus later the same day brought another fifteen Riders. The Mississippi segment of the rides — with its emphasis on “jail no bail” and goal of overloading Jackson’s city and […]

Breach of Peace: On the Air, On the Road

In Book Tour on 16 May 2008 with Comments Off on Breach of Peace: On the Air, On the Road

I’m doing two radio interviews about the book this weekend. On Saturday night, I will join Freedom Riders Claire O’Connor, Zev Aelony and Thomas Armstrong on Radio Free Nation. The show starts at 8:30PM EST, and I should be on around 8:45PM or so. Tune in here. On Sunday, I will talk with John Batchelor […]

Return to Anniston: The Mother’s Day Firebombing

In Oral History on 8 May 2008 tagged Anniston, Hank Thomas, Violence with 1 comment

A sophomore at Howard University, Hank Thomas was one of the original 13 Freedom Riders who left Washington, DC, on May 4, 1961, heading south. Though they encountered some violence in Rock Hill, SC, they made their way without major incident through Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia. On Mother’s Day — May 14 — 1961, […]