THE FREEDOM RIDE

LEARNING INTENTIONS & SUCCESS CRITERIA Learning Intentions – To explore the origins, significance and consequences of the 1965 Freedom Ride Success Criteria - You will be able to identify the Freedom Riders & identify the issues the Freedom riders set out to achieve,

 Universal Declaration of Human Rights  The Stolen Generations  The US Civil Rights Movement  Check your books and let me know what we’ve covered so far. QUICK RECAP

QUICK RECAP OF LAST LESSON In the 1940s many of the rights and freedoms enjoyed by white people in settler nations such as America and Australia were not shared by the nations' minorities. To many people this seemed wrong, but it would be the mid 1950s before leaders would emerge to challenge this widespread inequity and mistreatment. They were part of the civil rights movement. This movement would build during the 1960s, generating a worldwide demand for change.

 For her refusal to give up her seat, Rosa Parks was arrested and charged with breaking the segregation laws. ROSA PARKS

MARTIN LUTHER KING The Montgomery bus boycott had been organised by the Montgomery Improvement Association. Made up of ministers and activists, the group was led by a charismatic young civil rights campaigner named Martin Luther King Jr. His philosophy was simple: anything could be achieved by using non- violent resistance, so long as you could convince enough people to join the cause.

LITTLE ROCK On 17 May 1954 the US Supreme Court had ruled that segregation of public schools was unconstitutional. Later that year the Little Rock, Arkansas, school board had agreed to gradually desegregate its schools. Desegregation began on the first day of the school year, That morning, the nine African-American students enrolled at Little Rock Central High, thereafter known as the ‘Little Rock Nine’, were met by an angry mob, 1200 soldiers sent to the school for their protection and the world's media.

THE FREEDOM RIDE (USA)

HOW DID THIS INFLUENCE AUSTRALIA?  The US Civil Rights movement was a major influence in the struggle for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights and freedoms in Australia. In particular, the Freedoms Rides were of great inspiration.  Watch a trailer for a documentary about the US Freedom Rides: 

THE FREEDOM RIDE (AUSTRALIA) Indigenous Australians won the right to vote in 1962; even then they were not counted in the census and their affairs were still managed by the state governments. But growing awareness of human rights issues, specifically relating to racial discrimination, was beginning to turn the tide for Indigenous people in Australia. All the issue needed, it seemed, was a voice.

FREEDOM RIDE - AUSTRALIA This is the story of some Aboriginal children in country towns of northern and western NSW who were not allowed to swim in the town swimming pools outside of school hours. Their parents were banned from hotels and clubs, and were often kept waiting in local shops while others who came later were served in front of them. Sometimes they were not even served at all in milk bars, stores and hairdressers. When Aboriginal people went to the movies they had to sit in the worst seats in the cinema. In one town they had to sit in a fenced-off area at the front of the theatre, and wait until the lights went down before they entered the cinema. Stories of Democracy

HOW DID THE US CIVIL RIGHTS INFLUENCE AUSTRALIA? The students had seen television reports of Freedom Rides in the United States of America where people who felt strongly about justice challenged the segregation of blacks and whites in bus terminals. The protests were organised by civil rights campaigners led by Martin Luther King. Dr King's non-violent strategies and his words inspired millions of Americans in His words also inspired many Australians.

YOUR TASK – CREATE A PRESENTATION Here is the link to the questions