Ed Blankenheim facts for kids

Edward Norval "Ed" Blankenheim (March 16, 1934 – September 26, 2004) was an American hero. He was a brave civil rights activist who fought for equal rights for all people. Ed was one of the first 13 Freedom Riders. In 1961, these riders traveled on buses to end unfair rules that separated people based on their race.

Ed Blankenheim's Early Life and Fight for Rights

Ed Blankenheim was born on March 16, 1934, in Lake Benton, Minnesota. When he was 10, his family moved to Chicago. At just 16, Ed joined the US Marine Corps. He served during the Korean War. During his time in the military, he saw how unfair racism was, especially in the Southern states.

A Greyhound bus from the 1950s, like those used by the Freedom Riders.

While studying chemistry at the University of Arizona, Ed also worked as a carpenter's apprentice. This is when he became deeply involved in the Civil Rights Movement. He joined a group called the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Ed was one of the few white people who took part in these important local civil rights activities.

He first joined the NAACP Youth Council in Tucson, Arizona. Later, he became a leader for a CORE group called Students for Equality.

The Freedom Rides: Challenging Segregation

In 1961, Ed and twelve other civil rights workers began a very important journey. They boarded buses to test a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court. This ruling, called Boynton v. Virginia (1960), said that separating people by race in public places like bus stations was against the law.

The goal of the Freedom Riders was to travel on interstate buses into the Southern United States. They used peaceful protests to challenge unfair Jim Crow travel laws. These laws forced Black and white people to use separate facilities.

As they traveled further south, the riders faced angry crowds and violence. They were threatened, beaten, and even risked their lives at each new bus station.

The Attack in Anniston

During their journey, the riders arrived in Anniston, Alabama. There, an angry mob attacked their Greyhound bus. The mob threw a firebomb at the bus, setting it on fire. Luckily, the passengers managed to escape the burning bus.

However, the mob then regrouped and severely beat the riders. Ed was hit in the face with a tire iron and lost several teeth. The police did not help and watched as the riders were attacked. The mob even threatened to blow up the plane the Freedom Riders were supposed to take the next day to Montgomery. Despite the danger and injuries, Ed survived the attack.

Later Life and Legacy

Years after the attack, Ed lost the use of the right side of his body. He also had a stroke, which many believed was caused by the injuries he suffered during the attack.

In 2001, Ed was interviewed on National Public Radio. This was for the 40th anniversary of the Freedom Rides. That same year, he rode on a bus to recreate the first Freedom Ride. This time, he was welcomed as a hero, which was a big change from the beatings and bus burning he faced in 1961.

Ed and his wife Nancy had one son and two daughters. Ed Blankenheim passed away from cancer at the age of 70 on Sunday, September 26, 2004.