Freedom Riders Retrace 1961 Route Across Eight States

A 12-day bus tour retracing the 1961 Freedom Rides is bringing original riders, descendants, civil rights leaders, clergy and community members through 19 cities across eight states, from Washington, D.C., to New Orleans. The journey includes stops at historic sites, churches and campuses—including a celebration at Petersburg’s once-segregated bus station and planned visits in Atlanta—and is being filmed as a feature documentary. Organizers say the ride honors the original activists’ fight against segregation while encouraging civic engagement and voter participation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The 1961 riders faced mob violence in Alabama and did not complete their trip to New Orleans by bus.