The Freedom Riders were civil rights activists who rode interstate buses into the segregated Southern United States in 1961 to challenge the non-enforcement of federal laws that prohibited segregation on interstate buses and in bus terminals. The group, which included both Black and white activists, aimed to test the Supreme Court decisions Boynton v. Virginia (1960) and Morgan v. Virginia (1946) that declared segregation in interstate travel unconstitutional.

The Freedom Riders faced extreme violence and hostility from white segregationists, including mob attacks, beatings, and arrests. Despite the dangers, the activists continued their rides, attracting national attention to the brutality of segregation in the South.

Their efforts ultimately contributed to the enforcement of federal regulations and led to the desegregation of interstate transportation. The Freedom Riders played a crucial role in the Civil Rights Movement and showed the power of nonviolent resistance in the fight for equality and justice.