Nonviolent protests and acts of civil disobedience powered the Civil Rights Movement, making activists out of ordinary people who wanted to challenge an unequal society.

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 1961 ruling that made segregation on interstate transportation unconstitutional, activists known as Freedom Riders began organizing integrated bus rides to parts of the South where desegregation laws had not been enforced. On May 14, 1961, a bus of Freedom Riders pulled into a Greyhound station in Anniston, Alabama, and was met by a mob that slashed the tires and broke the windows of the bus. Fearing for everyone’s safety, the driver pulled out of the station. The mob followed. When the bus’s tires went flat a few miles outside of town, the mob set the bus on fire and attacked the passengers as they tried to escape. The injured Freedom Riders were taken to a nearby hospital, but were denied treatment because of the color of their skin.

Preserving a Piece of History

On January 12, 2017, President Obama officially designated Freedom Riders National Monument to memorialize the sites involved in this historic clash as well as other sites in Alabama critical to the Civil Rights Movement. The Conservation Fund was proud to play a role in protecting these sites through our Conservation Acquisitions’ real-estate expertise and Conservation Leadership Network’s community-engagement and planning efforts.

To honor the courage of the Freedom Riders and their important place in history, TCF worked with the National Park Service, the city of Anniston, Calhoun County and other partners to ensure the permanent protection of these sites as a national monument. Future plans call for an interpretive center at the bus station, where visitors can learn about the events of that day and then take the same road as the Freedom Riders to the memorial site where the bus was burned back in 1961.

Why This Project Matters

The Freedom Riders’ courageous efforts led to a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement. The national attention their actions drew inspired more acts of civil disobedience, eventually sparking new laws and policies prohibiting segregation on buses, and in bus terminals, restrooms, restaurants and other facilities associated with interstate travel.

Sharing these stories helps us heal from the wounds caused by an era of segregation and provides an opportunity to understand more about Alabama’s past by connecting us to the places where history happened. Many of the towns and cities in Calhoun County, near Anniston, have retained their historic feel. The protected landscapes that provide a backdrop to history, such as Little River Canyon National Preserve, Talladega National Forest and the Pinhoti Trail, are as much a part of Alabama’s identity as the Civil Rights Movement.

Through our Conservation Leadership Network, TCF and other partners worked with Calhoun County to evaluate its rich natural and historical assets and develop sustainable tourism opportunities, such as the new Freedom Riders National Monument, that benefit local communities and celebrate the cultural diversity that makes Alabama so vibrant.

Learn More

• White House Fact Sheet: “President Obama Designates National Monuments Honoring Civil Rights History“
• Official Page: Freedom Riders National Monument