MS SC580

Commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides and Freedom Summer of 1961, civil rights activism focused on ending segregation and promoting voting rights in the South.

Recognizes Freedom Riders who rode interstate buses starting May 4, 1961, to test the Supreme Court's Boynton v. Virginia decision and challenge segregation laws through nonviolent protest.

Notes that Freedom Riders arriving in Jackson, Mississippi on May 24, 1961, were immediately arrested for using white-only facilities, establishing a pattern of arrests and jail fills across the state.

Acknowledges Tougaloo College as the coordination center for Freedom Rider activities in Mississippi and highlights notable participants including US Representatives John Lewis and Bob Filner, along with Ruby Doris Smith-Robinson and Diane Nash.

Invites all Mississippians to participate in a statewide celebration dedicated to reconciliation and remembrance of the Freedom Rides' significant impact on the Civil Rights Movement.