First Stop on 1961 Freedom Rides

The Congress of Racial Equality, led by James Farmer, organized the Freedom Rides in 1961 to challenge racial segregation in interstate bus travel, which had persisted despite U.S. Supreme Court decisions barring segregation in seating (1946) and in terminal facilities (1960). After departing from Washington, D.C., on the morning of 4 May, the Freedom Riders first stopped here at the Greyhound Bus Terminal, where they integrated the restrooms and lunch counter without incident. As the riders traveled toward New Orleans, they encountered brutal resistance and arrest. Hundreds joined the campaign, prompting the Interstate Commerce Commission to issue new regulations enforcing desegregation.