While Southern Mom was here last week, we were able to relax and watch a few episodes of “Oprah”.  Normally, I’m not a huge Oprah fan because I feel like most of her shows are not geared towards me and my demographic.  But every now and then she has an episode that I HAVE to watch.  Last Wednesday, her show highlighted the 50th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides.  If you’re not familiar, the Freedom Rides started on May 4.  Black and white civil rights activists rode buses into the segregated South to test the Supreme Court decision of Boynton v. Virginia, which outlawed racial segregation via public transportation under the Interstate Commerce Act. 

Just like Oprah can do, she was able to bring back ALL of the Freedom Riders and invoke a few tears.   She also made mention of the upcoming PBS Special Freedom Riders, which highlights the events of that fateful Spring and Summer in 1961.  I have to admit, it’s amazing to me to see pictures and video of how these people were treated by others, just because they wanted equality for Blacks in this country.  And to think we still have people in this world who hate others based off of their skin color.

I urge and implore all of you to watch the premiere next week of “Freedom Riders” on your local PBS channel.  It comes on at 9 pm EST.  Invite your friends and family over.  We always get together to watch sports and entertainment events.  Let’s get together to watch something about our history.  Until next time, I’m just a Southern girl…in the city.

Related articles

• May Marks 50 Years Since Freedom Rides In South (newsone.com)
• 50 years later, students retrace 1961 Freedom Ride (thegrio.com)