Freedom Riders : John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the front lines of the civil rights movement

by Ann Bausum

Hardcover, 2006

Status

Coming Soon

Call number

323

Collection

Children's Books

Genres

Nonfiction

All Topics

Publication

Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2006.

Description

How did two youths-one raised in an all-black community in the deep South, the other brought up with only whites in the Midwest-become partners for freedom during the civil rights movement of the 1960s? Freedom Riders compares and contrasts the childhoods of John Lewis and James Zwerg in a way that helps young readers understand the segregated experience of our nation's past. It shows how a common interest in justice created the convergent path that enabled these young men to meet. This book introduces young readers (grade 5 and up) to the concept of nonviolent resistance as practiced by Zwerg, Lewis, and their classmates in Nashville, Tennessee. These students broke the color barrier at local movie theaters using this form of protest. Freedom Riders conveys the history of the Freedom Rides through the shared experiences of Lewis and Zwerg. No other book on the subject has used such a personal perspective. These two young men, empowered by their successes in Nashville, were among those who volunteered to continue the Freedom Rides after violence in Anniston, Alabama, left the original bus in flames with the riders injured and in retreat. Lewis and Zwerg joined the cause knowing their own fate could be equally harsh, if not worse, when the Freedom Ride penetrated deeper into the South. When these new participants arrived in Montgomery, Alabama, Zwerg and Lewis were singled out by a mob numbering in the hundreds armed with chains, bats, and hammers. The two youths were nearly beaten to death before police stepped forward to end the violence. The two surviving photographs from their experience provide testimony to the severity of their attacks. Release of these images along with accounts of the violence in Montgomery served to focus national attention on the Freedom Rides. Waves of volunteers came South to continue them. Freedom Riders summarizes the history of the subsequent rides and their success at ending discriminatory seating on Southern interstate bus service. It concludes by relating the divergent paths of Lewis and Zwerg. Lewis rose to prominence with continued participation in the civil rights movement. He became a U.S. Congress member in 1986. Zwerg, at the encouragement of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., took up the ministry, a career he continued for 20 years until turning to community service and business. The book is stunningly illustrated with 50 duotoned historical photos and detailed maps. It includes a resource guide of landmarks and references and a related chronology.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member AshleyMarkeitaTate

“Freedom Riders” is the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides. It focuses on two participants, John Lewis (a black man) and Jim Zwerg (a white man). These Freedom Rides were to peacefully promote racial equality. Their bus of the Freedom Rides arrived in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 14th and was

immediately met with an angry mob of white southerners. People were beaten, the bus was damaged, and it was total chaos. And the shocking thing is that police were not too concerned with the violence that broke out.

This book is almost necessary to share with middle school children. They never really want to give kids the full story about how bad things were during the turbulent sixties. I felt as if a lot of things I learned in school regarding the Civil Rights Movement were sugarcoated and just skimmed over. If you want to give kids a clear picture of how far we have come, share the photos in this book. Starting discussion would not be hard because I’m sure everyone would want to say something. I would also require my students to write an essay on how they feel the Freedom Rides impacted their freedom today and why.

This book is so informative. As I said, I felt like a lot was left out in school about the Civil Rights Movement. Until my senior year of high school, I had no idea the real things that went on in the south because it seems no one wanted to talk about it. But my twelfth grade Government teacher went into such great detail; we watched films, we viewed pictures, we had projects and things to research to learn more about certain topics. I became so interested in how they were able to peacefully convene (because I’m not sure that I could have endured the beatings and the name calling and the death threats) over and over and they let nothing stop them. It is because of people like John Lewis and Jim Zwerg that I am able to attend the university I attend and live the way I live and have the friends I have. I believe we owe those people so much respect, because so many people lost their lives for us to enjoy ours!

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LibraryThing member sckimmel

A compelling and personal story of the Civil Rights movement focuses on two participants in the historic Freedom Rides: Lewis, now a Congressman from Georgia, and Zwerg, a retired preacher and businessman. Their paths crossed in Nashville, Tennessee, when, as young college students, they were part

of the sit-in movement there.

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LibraryThing member edspicer

In February we celebrate “Black History Month,” which sometimes makes me wonder what we do for the other eleven months germane to OUR history. Bausum has written (another) fabulous book that has students look at OUR civil rights struggle as something that transcends race. She does this with a

narrow focus and a fabulous, flowing narrative. We read about a white guy, Jim Zwerg and John Lewis, a black guy. Each person writes a foreword in which they describe two totally different backgrounds. Yet each one is drawn into this struggle for rights and dignity. There is a wealth of references, which adds to Bausum’s message. Part of the message is that we are not finished. Students reading this book cannot help but get sucked into believing that each of us STILL has a role to play in OUR fight for civil rights. Highly recommended for all middle school and high school libraries.

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LibraryThing member bplma

excellent overview of civil rights freedom riders w/ forwards by 2 of the participants. great photos, enough white space to be enjoyable to read and easy on the eyes while still packing in lots of facts and information; well written. has it all...research guide, mug shots and citations.

LibraryThing member rikardh

Great book to be used as a reference for Civil Rights Movement research. This details the two men, one black and one white, that were made infamous in a photo taken after they were both badly beaten on one of the Freedom Rides of the early 1960's. It chronicles the two men's childhoods and their

beginnings, involvement, and help in the Civil Rights Movement.

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LibraryThing member linnaea44

This was an amazing book. It really moved me and touched my soul. I can not believe I never heard about this story till now. Everything that those people went through, they were just kids my age, it's amazing. Their dedication to the movement, and being prepared to die, WOW!! It's absolutely

incredible. I was in shock that the authorities allowed the beatings and cruelty. I can not imagine anyone justifying what they did to the riders of those buses. I am not sure what age group this would be appropriate for maybe 5th graders and older. It is very graphic and there is a lot of violence. I think it is extremely important for students to read this at some point in their education.

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LibraryThing member patricia_poland

Found this to be a great introduction to the Freedom Riders by focusing on two of them, yet explaining the overall concept and how it began. Good for all ages.

LibraryThing member Kimberly.Danielle

This informational photo journal chronicles the lives of two unlikely friends, John Lewis and Jim Zwerg. These young men are from two vastly different lives, backgrounds, existences, and experiences yet they find common ground as they become members of the Freedom Riders. This book details how they

started off as young boys in their vastly different worlds and works it way towards their meeting and ultimately, their friendship. While the main focus is on John Lewis and Jim Zwerg, it pulls in all of the information, activity, and photos surrounding the violent reaction to integration in the South.

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LibraryThing member socrnut07

Freedom Riders by Anne Bausum was a very informative and interesting look into the private lives of two main contributors of the civil rights movement known as the Freedom Rides. This book detailed the early lives and journey of John Lewis and Jim Zwerg into the Freedom Rides from very different

backgrounds. John Lewis was an African-American born in Alabama that knew nothing but racial segregation and struggle. Jim Zwerg was an individual that came from the state of Wisconsin without much interaction with people of color. These men crossed paths in Nashville when both were intrigued by the ideas and messages of the Congress of Racial Equality (known as CORE). This mixed group of people had a vision of equal rights for both whites and blacks. Many of their Freedom Rides ended with violence from protestors against their movement, jail time, and several injuries. CORE made several trips across the south in order to spread their message. It was eventually heard by the nation when the United States Department of Justice passed laws allowing individuals to ride public transportation regardless of "race, color, creed, or national origin."

I found this book to very moving and motivating. It shared the lives of two different individuals that believed in a common cause. This was a monumental time in history that changed the way that African-Americans were treated across the nation, especially the south. I would suggest this book to anyone in the social studies field because it gives a deeper understanding of one of the lesser-known civil rights movement.

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LibraryThing member AdrienneWood

Two worlds, one cause. The story of the Freedom Rides from the perspective of a black man and of a white man, with background on each.
Strength of the human spirit.

LibraryThing member JeffCarver

Freedom Riders is a Sibert Honor Book that tells the story of the 1961 Freedom Rides from the perspective of two men: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg. What makes the story so interesting is how the two riders' divergent backgrounds were united for the cause. Representing 'Black America', the book details

John Lewis' humble upbringing in rural Alabama and his obstacle-laden journey to Nashville to pursue his education. Jim Zwerg's story represents an opposite existence, or a "different world" as the book describes. Raised in a middle-class town in Northern Wisconsin, Zwerg's early years were completely shielded from any exposure to the discrimination that was taking place in the South. The historical details are jaw-dropping once the two meet in Nashville and the Freedom Rides begin.

At multiple points during the read I had to remind myself that these events did not take place that long ago. When you look at the photos and read the accounts there is a tendency to think, "This must have happened a long time ago" -- but didn't! And in so many ways discrimination, racial or otherwise, is still taking place. I was astonished by the courage of the riders, and even more astonished by many of the factual details of the event (i.e. the pre-arranged deals between the KKK and the local police departments to allow violence without intervention; the number of mob members in Montgomery -- over a 1,000; and the calculated organization of the attacks: take out media first, then attack the passengers). Needless to say, it was an emotional read.

From a teaching perspective, this book is widely applicable. Last semester I worked on a To Kill A Mockingbird unit through the conceptual lens of injustice. One of the lessons involved study and discussion of the Jim Crow Laws of the South -- this book would have been a perfect supplementary text. With such a strong connection to the Civil Rights Movement, American History, and the general spirit of courage, I can see this book finding its way into many other lesson plans.

The book itself was both an engaging and thought-provoking read. The writing was easy to follow, and the primary source documents (mainly photos) gave the book a great deal of authenticity. Both riders, Lewis and Zwerg, share their thoughts in the "Foreword", and the back of the book features a wide variety of rich supplemental material (a partial roster of the other riders, a timeline of events, a comprehensive resource guide, research notes, bibliography, citations, and an index). This is a fantastic book that I would highly recommend to others!

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LibraryThing member Salsabrarian

An account of the Freedom bus rides through the segregated South as experienced by John Lewis and Jim Zwerg, college students who were active in organizing and participating in the rides, despite great the great physical costs to themselves and others. As a white participant, Jim Zwerg was

prominently featured in media coverage; his devotion to the cause inspired thousands across the country to join the rides. John Lewis later went on to become a U.S. Congressman for Georgia.

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