A program entitled “Freedom Riders” inspired me to want to know more about a brave group of people who took a stand against segregation on public transportation. Although the Supreme Court ruled the practice unconstitutional, the decision was being ignored and outright violated throughout the South. Courageous individuals boarded buses in the North to travel south with whites and blacks sitting side by side. When they began the journeys, many expected to die. They wrote their wills, letters to family, and made final phone calls to loved ones.
Many locations in the South prepared for their arrival. It was not to welcome them, but to stop them by force and by death if necessary. They were attacked, barricaded in buses that were set on fire, beaten with the intent to kill or at least maim, arrested, and held in prisons with no recourse. The stories are chilling, but their resolve was profound.
These events vividly show the power of hatred and how it controlled the South during the period in which Missy and Addie lived. It was not just fear for the blacks, but also for the whites in the community. If you dared to stand up to the bigotry, you too could suffer severe consequences. As a result, many who were otherwise kind, closed their doors, pulled the curtains, and hid. In Silent Ties we saw good citizens watch Uncle Roy beat an innocent child to death, but no one dared to intervene.
I invite you to watch the PBS documentary, “Freedom Riders,” from The American Experience, and learn about these everyday citizens whose heroism helped to change the future. Through their stories, gain more understanding into the culture that determined the rules for Missy and Addie. Learn why Missy could not disclose their friendship and why Addie needed to always be cautious, even of her friend. In that climate, you couldn’t trust anyone completely. Fear for survival can change a person, even if just for a moment. That moment could endanger a family or be the difference between life and death. Missy and Addie both understood. It was the reality of their friendship.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Santayana