One of the most well-known campaigns of the Civil Right’s movement int he 1960′s was that of the Freedom Rides. Made up of mostly college-aged students, the Freedom Riders piled on buses and headed into the deep South in hopes of illustrating the sharp racial divide found throughout the southern states.
Pittsburgh has its own strong connection with the events through former city councilman and local Steel City figure Sala Udin. I had the great privilege of interviewing Udin just over two years ago for an article in Duquesne’s student newspaper.
What struck me the most though talking to him was the sheer amount of peril the participants in the Freedom Rides were faced with immediately upon crossing into the South.
“It resulted in our being arrested and thrown in jail multiple times,” he told me. “Usually beaten up pretty bad whenever you were arrested.”
It still amazes me to think about — I can’t say I would have had the courage needed to embark upon that journey. Their perseverance, though, had an undeniably positive effect on the overall Civil Rights movement.
