Genevieve Hughes facts for kids

Genevieve Hughes Houghton (born 1932, died 2012) was an important American activist. She is known as one of the three women who participated in the original 1961 Freedom Rides. These rides were a brave effort to challenge unfair segregation laws in the Southern United States.

Early Life and Activism

Genevieve Hughes grew up in Chevy Chase, Maryland. This was an upper-middle-class area near Washington, D.C. She went to Cornell University for her studies. After graduating, she moved to New York City. There, she worked as a financial analyst, which means she studied companies' money and investments.

In the late 1950s, Genevieve became involved with the New York chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). CORE was a group working for civil rights. She helped organize a boycott against stores that had restaurants in the South that refused to serve Black people. This was part of the larger sit-in movement. Her work for civil rights made some of her colleagues on Wall Street uncomfortable. Because of this, she decided to leave her job and work full-time to fight racism.

Joining the Freedom Rides

In the fall of 1960, Genevieve became CORE's field secretary. This made her the first woman to hold this position on CORE's Field Staff. John Lewis, another famous civil rights leader, described her as "graceful and gentle." But he also said she was "not at all afraid to speak up."

Genevieve decided to join the Freedom Rides because she felt it was important. She wanted to show that not all Southern people thought the same way about segregation. She believed Southern women should be part of the movement.

The Journey and Violence

The Freedom Rides journey started in Washington, D.C., and was headed for New Orleans. Along the way, Genevieve and the other Freedom Riders faced a lot of violence. One of the most dangerous moments happened in Anniston, Alabama. Their Greyhound bus was attacked by angry mobs. The bus was set on fire.

Genevieve later shared her experience in the Anniston hospital: "There was no doctor at the hospital, only a nurse. They had me breathe pure oxygen but that only burned my throat and did not relieve the coughing. I was burning hot and my clothes were a wet mess. After a while Ed and Bert were brought in, choking. We all lay on our beds and coughed. Finally, a woman doctor came in—she had to look up smoke poisoning before treating us. They brought in the Negro man who had been in the back of the bus with me. I pointed to him and told them to take care of him. But they did not bring him into our emergency room. I understand that they did not do anything at all for Hank. Thirteen in all were brought in, and three were admitted: Ed, the Negro man and myself. They gave me a room and I slept. When I woke up the nurse asked me if I could talk with the FBI. The FBI did not care about us, but only the bombing." (The bombing refers to the bus being set on fire.)

Later Life and Continued Activism

After her experience as a Freedom Rider, Genevieve married John Houghton. Their marriage later ended in divorce. She continued to be very active in many important causes. She worked for social justice, which means fairness for everyone. She also worked for environmental protection, helping to keep our planet healthy. And she worked for world peace, hoping to end conflicts around the globe.

In 1972, Genevieve was a co-founder and the first director of the Women's Center in Carbondale, Illinois. This center was one of the very first shelters in the United States for women who were victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is when someone is hurt or threatened by a family member or partner. Genevieve Hughes Houghton dedicated her life to fighting for a better and fairer world.