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USF Magazine Articles about USF St. USF St. Petersburg campus University Petersburg campus Advancement

9-1-2011

American Heroes

Melanie Marquez

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Scholar Commons Citation Marquez, Melanie, "American Heroes" (2011). USF Magazine Articles about USF St. Petersburg campus. 64. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/usf_mag_articles_usfsp/64

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By MELANIE MARQUEZ I USF St. Petersburg ust as the message ofthe Freedom Riders swept through the Deep South and the broader nation in 1961, the scholarship of USF St. Petersburg professor Raymond Arsenault has inspired events of commemoration and renewal this year - the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides.

The recent celebrations honored the courage and conviction of the hundreds of young people who defied Jim Crow laws and put their lives on Justice, first published in 2006 andre­ social justice extends their legacy of the line for the salJohn Hope Franklin Experience documentary, a traveling professor Raymond Many of the 180 Freedom Riders flown Professor of Southern History at museum exhibit, and a commemorative Arsenault spent nearly USF St. Petersburg and a founder bus tour with college students from to Chicago for the reunion had not 10 years research ing seen each other in 50 years. On the of the university's Florida Studies across the country. The book and the the Freedom Rides. His Oprah Winfrey show, former Riders graduate program, spent nearly 10 documentary inspired Oprah Winfrey award-winning book years researching the Freedom Rides, to host a Freedom Riders reunion on told stories of youthful adventure, was the basis for a PBS sacrifice and commitment. And later, interviewing the Riders and immersing her TV program in May 2011. Arsenault documentary. himself in a movement that ultimately appeared on the show. on the commemorative bus ride, they desegregated interstate travel and connected with a younger generation law1ched a wave of civil rights reform. "The broad dissemination of the of aspiring social activists. Arsenault book, the film, the traveling exhibit also led a group of USFSP students on His award-winning book, Freedom - and most in1portant - the Freedom a similar tour for a swnmer civil rights Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Riders' message of nonviolence and course he has taught in partnership with

20 USF MAGAZINE 1 www.usf .edu USF MAGAZINE I Fall 2011 21 Stetson College of Law for sL'X years. : ..

"The Freedom Riders sought to use dignity and love to persuade people to do the right thing," Arsenault says. "Their strategy was to educate through the philosophy and practice of nonviolent direct action. They brought down the system of Jim Crow segregation and changed the world, not through force and violence, but through disciplined self-sacrifice and an abiding commitment to the 'beloved community."'

In July, the documentary based on Arsenault's book was nominated in three categories for a Primetime Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

Directed by Stanley Nelson and produced by Laurens Grant, the documentary was nominated for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking, Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming and Outstanding Picture Editing for Nonfiction Programming.

Arsenault worl

RIDE FOR JUSTICE ..&. PHOTOS: From top Prior to serving as Before they In Anniston, Ala., an Members of the of page, second row, coordinator of the participated in the angry mob stoned Congress of Racial Arsenault's book, Freedom Riders: left to right Nashville Student Freedom Rides, C.T and firebombed Equality (CORE) in 796 7 and the Struggle for Racial Movement Ride, Vivian, Diane Nash the Greyhound bus Washington, D.C. as Justice, focuses on a civil rights ef­ Diane Nash (center) (front row on left) holding some of the they prepare for their fort that led more than 400 black and was one of the most and other demon­ original Freedom journey south. white Americans to risk their lives respected leaders in strators marched to Riders. riding buses through the Deep South the sit-in movement in Nashville City Ha ll New York college to challenge segregation in interstate Nashville, Tenn. Here on Apri l 19, 1960. students display transport. The story is one of the most she leads a group of posters in support of celebrated episodes of the Civil Rights students in a dem­ the Freedom Rides. Movement. onstration in front of the Nashville police station in 1961. 2.o! USF MAGAZINE I www.usf.edu USF MAGAZINE I Fall 2011 23