Multi Media Presentation for Freedom Riders

By: Alex Sarr

Name: Freedom Riders

Director: Stanley Nelson

Length: 113 minutes

In 1961, more than 400 black and

White Americans challenged racial

segregation in the south by the

simple act of traveling together on buses.

The movie details the horrors of their travels and shows the

significance the eight month journey had on the United States.

Stanley Nelson effectively uses interviews with riders, journalists, witnesses, and government officials as well as footage to convey his central message.

These sources convey his central message that racial segregation in racial segregation in the south needed to changethe south needed to change and that these 400 black and white Americans were willing to do willing to do anythinganything to change segregation.

The graphic footage used in

“Freedom Riders” allowed the

audience to understand how

difficult traveling was for

these 400 Americans.

The movie shows clips of beatings,

burnings, and riots against the riders

that help the audience understand

the danger that these riders faced.

In addition, the interviews with riders, journalists, and government officials allowed the audience to understand many different perspectives of this event.

The riders offered an in depth

understanding of how they felt

about the rides, actions against

them, and the government’s

involvement.

Journalists give in-depth

analyses of the actions

committed against the riders.

This provided the audience with

multiple perspectives on the topic,

from the beatings by Bull Connor,

the lack of government support and

the burning of the buses.

The interviews of the government

officials allowed insight into the

government’s reactions and

handling of the rides.

The officials were able to explain their

actions and give the audience a deeper

understanding of the lack of

involvement by the government

into segments of the rides.

Through Stanley Nelson’s use of different sources he was able to effectively induce the feeling of remorse for the freedom riders and anger against the white supremacists who induced so much pain on the them.

In addition, he was able to effectively communicate his central message that segregation in the south needed to change.

While the film was very successful in conveying its message, it left some

questions unanswered.- Why did some blacks view the freedom rides as a

radical movement?- What was the view of the freedom riders of the

authority figures in the White House? - Why was Kennedy so opposed to the civil rights

topic?

Is truth dependent upon place, culture, and time? The south believed that blacks were an inferior race and should not be allowed

to

experience the same

rights as whites.

However, the north

believed that blacks

deserve some rights

that whites enjoyed.

This dichotomy

illustrates how

depending on the

culture you are brought up in and the place you live causes the truth to change.

In an attempt to change segregation in the south,

these 400 Americans were willing to risk

everything. They put their own personal safety

on the line in order to fight for what they believed

was right. History has shown many case of acts

like this, but for every group that chooses to act ,

there are people who remained silent.

Which raises the question,

would you choose to stand up for would you choose to stand up for what is right or would you sit by what is right or would you sit by

and remain silent?and remain silent?