Fifty years ago, the Freedom Riders—more than 400 Black and White, mostly young people—risked their lives and freedom to face down segregation in the Deep South. A powerful new Stanley Nelson film, “Freedom Riders,” chronicles their bold and dangerous journey riding commercial buses into Alabama and Mississippi challenging Jim Crow, while facing angry mobs, terrible beatings, fire bombings and imprisonment.

On May 16th, 2011, CDF President Marian Wright Edelman was joined by original Freedom Riders Dion Diamond, Bernard Lafayette, George Bundy Smith, and Lenora Taitt-Magubane for a Watch Party of the premiere of Stanley Nelson’s powerful film “Freedom Riders” at Howard University. Watch Parties were hosted across the country and the Howard event was streamed live to audiences prior to the film and a live question and answer session following the film. Check out the recordings from this special event below and be inspired by a call to action and by the words and music of Freedom Riders.

In case you missed it, view the “Freedom Riders” in its entirety.

CDF Special Event on the Freedom Riders: Part I

An introduction to the Freedom Riders featuring CDF President Marian Wright Edelman.

CDF Special Event on the Freedom Riders: Part II

Question and Answer session with the Freedom Riders

Freedom Riders Trailer

Learn more about the film “Freedom Riders”.