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In 1961, the government had outlawed segregation,
but most places in the South simply did not comply with it.
And the Freedom Riders decided to challenge these practices.
My name is JoyEllen Freeman,
and I was a participant in the 2011 Student Freedom Ride.
It was basically a way to allow
40 college students from across the nation
to retrace the steps of the original 1961 Freedom Riders.
I feel eternally grateful to WGBH and American Experience.
Efforts like this really allow the movement
to come alive again.
This is why I went on the ride,
so I could go back into my community and teach
and empower others the way I've been empowered.
I can make a difference in my world.
I can.
And that's really what I'm trying to live by now.