The tale of the freedom riders is somber yet triumphant, setting the tone for the victories that were to come, but serving too as a reminder that no battle is ever completely won. The courage of the freedom riders is both inspiring and humbling. The book serves a companion piece to the pbs special and provides the finer details and fascinating behindthescenes reportage. You can read a sample of ray arsenaults book, freedom riders. One of the 1961 freedom riders will be part of a panel. They were jailed and beaten, their buses stoned and firebombed. Jan 01, 2006 in what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders. Another one of the major successes of the book is how arsenault fits the freedom riders into the political culture of the time, and also within what is happening throughout the world. On easter sunday 1939, the brilliant vocalist marian anderson sang.
Nov 14, 2017 for decades, the freedom riders were treated as footnote in the history of the civil rights movement of the 1960s. He visited campus in 2009 to discuss his latest book, the sound of freedom. Ray arsenault set out to interview as many of them as he could find, and he spent eight years tracking them down in order to write this comprehensive, highly readable and fascinating book. Raymond arsenaults most popular book is freedom riders. The consolidation story, from civil rights to the jaguars deftly weaves an intricate narrative of the 1961 freedom rides, the civil rights. In north carolina, one rider was arrested for sitting in a whitesonly shoeshine chair inside charlottes union station, according to the book freedom riders by raymond arsenault. He appeared on the oprah winfrey show in an episode dedicated to freedom. A life is the definitive account of the activist and athlete. In the course of six months in 1961, four hundred and fifty freedom riders expanded the realm of the possible in american politics, redefining the limits of dissent and setting the stage for the civil rights movement. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In these pages, acclaimed historian raymond arsenault provides a gripping account of six pivotal months that jolted the consciousness of america. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault. Petersburg showing of the freedom riders american experience movie based on ray arsenaults book.
Raymond arsenault s most popular book is freedom riders. In the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses through the american south to challenge segregation in interstate transport. Ray arsenaults freedom riders book premieres as a new. Read an excerpt from raymond arsenaults book, freedom riders. Raymond arsenault, the john hope franklin professor of southern history at the university of south florida, st. Author raymond arsenault explains the freedom rides. He risked his life photographing the 1961 freedom riders. He became so interested in the topic, he dedicated 10 years of his life to telling the stories of the ridersbrave men and women who fought for equality.
Raymond arsenault audio books, best sellers, author bio. The freedom rides was part of a whole rather than a pinnacle. With characters and plot lines rivaling those of the most imaginative fiction, this is a tale of heroic sacrifice and unexpected triumph. Freedom rider rip patton singing freedom songs at the freedom ride after party photo by ray arsenault think about the freedom riders. In alabama, police stood idly by as racist thugs battered them. Freedom riders film to premiere may 16 brandeisnow. This book chronicles all this in vivid detail and includes many photographs of the events and of the riders themselves.
Arsenault wrote about the 1961 freedom rides in 2006. Awardwinning civil rights historian ray arsenault describes the dramatic story behind marian andersons concert at the lincoln memorial an early milestone in civil rights history on the 70th anniversary of her performance. Painstakingly researched, the sound of freedom offers an enigmatic portrait of anderson before and after her iconic 1939 performance mirrored by the significant inroads toward racial equality. The saga of the freedom rides is an improbable, almost unbelievable story. May 04, 2007 raymond arsenault traces freedom riders road in 1961, an integrated group of selfproclaimed freedom riders challenged segregation by riding together on segregated buses through the deep south. His work on the critical event in the civil rights movement became the basis of the 2010 documentary, freedom riders. The sound of freedom audiobook by raymond arsenault. It is exhaustively and meticulously researched the bibliography runs 27 pages. In birmingham and montgomery, mobs of white supremacists swarmed the bus stations and battered the riders with fists and clubs while local police. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
Ray arsenaults freedom riders book premieres as a new opera. In the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line. Arthur ashe book by raymond arsenault official publisher. The twohour documentary is based on raymond arsenaults book freedom riders. Arsenault s revisionist styled history addresses the lack of historical focus on the freedom rides itself, which he claims has so far only been discussed by historians as a prelude to the climactic in what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders.
Tells the story of the freedom riders, a diverse group of people, who in the spring and summer of 1961, they put their lives on the line, riding buses through the american south to challenge segregation in interstate transport. The book paints a harrowing account of the outpouring of hatred and violence that greeted the freedom riders in alabama and mississippi. Raymond arsenault is the john hope franklin professor of southern history at the university of south florida, st. The freedom riders were greeted with hostility, fear, and violence. Awardwinning civil rights historian ray arsenault describes the dramatic story behind marian andersons concert at the. Watch freedom riders american experience official site pbs.
The night before they got on the buses, they wrote out their last will and testament because they werent sure theyd be coming back. Arsenault has stayed connected to brandeis over the years. Freedom riders screening features writer, activists. Freedom riders diane nash, ellen ziskind and paul breines will join leading historian ray arsenault, ma 74, ph. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault offers a significantly. Arsenault is a nationally renowned civil rights historian whose earlier books include freedom riders. In this new version of his encyclopedic freedom riders, raymond arsenault offers a significantly condensed and tautly written account. They were black and white, young and old, men and women.
Sep 07, 2018 belcourt theatre screened stanley nelsons freedom riders documentary, which is based on ray arsenaults book of the same name. Raymond arsenault is known for his work on american experience 1988, freedom riders 2010 and nova 1974. He has taught at the university of south florida, st. Freedom riders was the basis for a 2010 pbs american experience documentary of the same title. Raymond arsenault was just 19 years old when he started researching the 1961 freedom rides. One of the nations leading civil rights historians, he is the author of several acclaimed and prizewinning books, including freedom riders. In 2006, 45 years later, raymond arsenault was the first historian to write a comprehensive book about the movement. Raymond says this is a story that needed to be told. Raymond arsenault is the john hope franklin professor of southern history and codirector of the florida studies program at the university of. Raymond arsenault has skillfully interwoven the stories of 436 men and women who became a select group of activists that had changed the course of american history. Freedom riders raymond arsenault oxford university press. Belcourt theatre screened stanley nelsons freedom riders documentary, which is based on ray arsenaults book of the same name. More on the opera freedom ride at the chicago opera theater.
Raymond arsenault has 29 books on goodreads with 5550 ratings. Freedom riders 1961 and the struggle for racial justice raymond arsenault pivotal moments in american history. At the ceremony was the firelight media team that produced the film, led by filmmaker stanley nelson. One bus was disabled by ku klux klansmen, then firebombed. In these pages, acclaimed historian raymond arsenault provides a gripping. In what author raymond arsenault calls the first historical study of the freedom rides, freedom riders. The book represents an inspired companion piece to arsenaults freedom riders 2006 and essential reading for international historians. Arsenault is a specialist in the political, social, and environmental history of the american south. Petersburg campus since 1980 and is the john hope franklin professor of southern history and co.
Marian anderson, the lincoln memorial, and the concert that awakened america, and on may 1 held an exclusive screening of freedom riders in chicago with members of the crown family and area alumni. Their efforts transformed the civil rights movement. Marian anderson, the lincoln memorial, and the concert that. Earlier in the evening, more than a thousand black americans, including the reverend martin luther king jr. Books by raymond arsenault author of freedom riders.
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