Anniston bus bombing facts for kids
The Freedom Riders were brave young people who rode buses across the American South in 1961. They wanted to protest against unfair laws that kept Black and white people separate, especially on buses. This was part of the Civil Rights Movement, a time when many people worked for equal rights for all. The Supreme Court had already said that bus segregation was against the law. But many places in the South still ignored this rule. The Freedom Riders wanted to show that these laws were not being followed.
On May 14, 1961, two buses filled with Freedom Riders set out to travel through the South. Sadly, one of these buses was attacked by an angry mob.
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What Happened?
The Attack on the Greyhound Bus
On Sunday, May 14, 1961, which was Mother's Day, a group of people attacked the first bus. This happened in Anniston, Alabama. Many of the attackers were members of the Ku Klux Klan, a group that was against equal rights for Black people.
The bus driver tried to leave the station, but the mob blocked the way. Members of the Ku Klux Klan then slashed the bus's tires. This made it impossible for the bus to go far.
A few miles outside of town, the mob forced the damaged bus to stop. Then, they threw a firebomb into the bus. As the bus began to burn, the mob tried to hold the doors shut. They wanted to trap the riders inside.
Luckily, the riders managed to escape the burning bus. Some reports say an exploding fuel tank scared the mob away. Others say an undercover investigator showed a gun, which made the mob retreat. After the riders got out, the mob beat them. Highway patrolmen fired warning shots into the air. This stopped the mob from causing even more serious harm to the riders.
Today, the roadside spot in Anniston and the downtown bus station are protected. They are part of the Freedom Riders National Monument. This monument was created in 2017 to remember these important events.
The Rescue
Some of the injured Freedom Riders were taken to Anniston Memorial Hospital. However, most of them were refused proper care. That night, around 2 AM, the hospital staff made the injured riders leave. They were afraid of the mob that was still outside the hospital.
A local civil rights leader named Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth heard about this. He quickly organized several cars of Black citizens to rescue the injured Freedom Riders. These brave people were led by Colonel Stone Johnson. They arrived at the hospital openly armed, ready to protect the Freedom Riders from the mob. Their actions helped save the riders from further harm.
The Trailways Bus Attack
About an hour after the first bus was burned, the second bus, a Trailways bus, arrived in Anniston. When it pulled into the terminal, eight Klansmen boarded the bus. They beat the Freedom Riders on board. The attackers left the riders badly hurt in the back of the bus.
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