1961 – Freedom Riders Arrested in Mississippi

On June 4, 1961, several Freedom Riders were arrested in Jackson, Mississippi, for violating segregation laws at a Greyhound bus terminal. These riders were part of a larger, coordinated movement challenging the federal government to enforce Supreme Court rulings that declared segregated interstate travel unconstitutional. The arrests in Jackson were part of a deliberate strategy to “fill the jails” and draw national attention to the brutality and injustice of Jim Crow laws. Hundreds of Freedom Riders—Black and white—were jailed throughout the summer, sparking outrage and eventually leading to federal intervention. The June 4 arrests in Jackson are often cited as a turning point that increased pressure on the Kennedy administration to act. This moment remains a testament to the bravery of young activists and the power of nonviolent resistance in American civil rights history.