The Freedom riders were a group of white and black American citizens who rode buses across the Deep South in protest of segregated bus policies. They intentionally broke segregation laws as a means of peaceful protest. Their goal was to ultimately get rid of segregated facilities across the southern states.
They were true American heroes because they remained nonviolent even though they were physically attacked. At one point during their rides in 1961, their bus was set on fire by an angry mob. Despite all of this torment, these individuals continued on their journey and refused to retaliate with violence.
