(Video produced by Emily Pearce and Pat Slattery; shot, edited by Pat Slattery)
Four Gray Line buses idle noisily at the curb by Branscomb Quadrangle as the sun slowly rises over a sleeping Greek Row. A group has quietly gathered on the steps out front – a mix of students, faculty and staff – shouldering overnight bags and sipping cups of coffee while members of the media prepare to capture their departure.
Clearly, this is not just any trip. The group will ride from Nashville, Tenn., to Montgomery and Birmingham, Ala., retracing the Freedom Rides of 1961, which were part of the movement that led to the end of segregation in the South. What’s more, several of the original Freedom Riders will join the group to share their experiences first-hand along the way.
Read the full story in the Vanderbilt Register.
View a photo gallery of the trip.
Listen to panel discussions that took place during the Freedom Ride (Jan. 27 discussion; Jan. 28 discussion)
Watch video of the Rev. James Lawson, Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt, discussing his experiences as one of the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
Contact: Princine Lewis, (615) 322-NEWS
princine.l.lewis@vanderbilt.edu