This highly impressive historical book starts in 1944 (11 years prior to Rosa Parks) when a woman named Irene Morgan, was arrested in Saluda, VA. for refusing to move from her bus seat for white passengers. This spawned the 'Journey of Reconciliation' ride of 1947 that consisted of 15 black & white male riders. This group was made up of members of CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) a group that was highly influenced by the teachings of Ghandi, and believed that the theory of nonviolent reaction methods could be employed by African Americans to obtain civil rights in America. Soon after the Boynton vs. Virgina ruling (a December 1960 Supreme court ruling). The case overturned a judgment convicting an African American law student for trespassing by being in a restaurant in a bus terminal which was "whites only." The Freedom Rides were started by CORE as a way to test the ruling by traveling interstate bus routes. Starting in Washington DC and ending in Jackson, Miss. They encountered some minor hostility, but as they went deeper into the south the violence became horrendous. The entire history of the Rides is here, and a very detailed list of all the brave rides/riders that participated. I found the story to have a few very interesting parallels to the current struggle for gay rights today. The Kennedy administration was hesitant to react, and even send federal help when the violence loomed. On another level it is shameful that for over 500 pages this is simply a story of a group of people asking for the simplest of civil rights, and their struggle for just that. Fascinating look into this volatile time in American history.